Lots of people are already looking forward to the 2025 movie calendar, when we’ll see Rachel Zegler bring Disney’s oldest princess to life in the remake of Snow White. However, you don’t have to wait that long — or at all — to hear the actress flaunt her royalty. Zegler is the voice of Princess Ellian in the new Netflix movie Spellbound, in which she goes on a quest to break the spell that has transformed her parents into monsters and split her kingdom into two. Critics were able to screen the kid-friendly flick ahead of its release, so let’s see what the reviews say.
In addition to Rachel Zegler, Spellbound features an impressive cast that includes John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Tituss Burgess and more. This story has been in the works for a while and did some dancing around before landing at Netflix as part of the streamer’s partnership with Skydance Animation. Was it worth the wait? Isabella Soares of Collider thinks so, rating the movie an 8 out of 10 and saying:
All in all, Spellbound is a brilliant and fresh look into fairytales and how happy endings may look different from how they are told by the Brothers Grimm. With a well-composed original soundtrack and stunning visuals, Spellbound is one of the best animations of the year. It blends elements that are all too familiar with modern touches that allow the story to feel like a ludic exploration of real life. With a star-studded cast voicing these characters/creatures and a creative team that brings originality to this material, Spellbound wraps 2024 like a bow.
Tessa Smith of Mama’s Geeky calls Spellbound the perfect family film with a heartwarming message, a great voice cast, jokes that land and beautiful music. Smith says there’s a lot to love about this one, writing:
Spellbound is one of those movies that will be a favorite for children and a gut-punch (in a good way) for parents. The music is fun, catchy, and memorable. The animation is beautiful and mesmerizing. The story is extremely heartwarming and is sure to resonate with parents all over the world.
Other critics aren’t as thrilled with the upcoming 2024 movie. For instance, Mae Abdulbaki of ScreenRant rates the film 5 out of 10, praising the cast and animation, but she says the movie takes way too long to make its point about changing family dynamics. Abdulbaki continues:
Compared to other, stronger animated films, Spellbound sits comfortably in the middle. Kids will likely be delighted with it — though at nearly two hours long the wait to get to the end might be a struggle — and it offers just enough for them to keep watching. The story had the right idea, but it’s the execution that ultimately holds the animation back from soaring to the heights of its potential. I only wish it had held onto the heart at the center of the story more keenly.
Chase Hutchinson of The Wrap says Spellbound is plagued by flat animation and a story that never really takes flight or feels magical. This movie can’t emerge from the shadow cast by other, better animated films this year, the critic says:
There’s a heartfelt core to this, but it never becomes well-drawn enough to come out into the light. All of the supposedly central conflicts rely on contrivances that mostly just take away from the internal emotional struggles Spellbound gives short shrift. By the time the film requires us to know what it is that Ellian and her parents are like as characters, you realize how little you know about them beyond the largely broad archetypes the film halfheartedly gave them.
Cody Dericks of Next Best Picture agrees, saying despite some good voice work — particularly from Tituss Burgess and Nathan Lane — everything else about the film feels half-baked with unoriginal wiring, uninspired music and lackluster animation. The critic gives it 4 out of 10, writing:
Spellbound pales in comparison to even the least impressive of Disney’s offerings. Although it features an unexpected twist previously unseen in major animated films, it’s otherwise unoriginal, bland, and likely too slow-paced and unexciting to hold the attention of younger viewers.
The critics seem to be split here on everything from the quality of the animation to the music and how well the message comes across. The only thing they agree on is the talent of the the voice performers. If Spellbound does sound like the kind of adventure you want to embark upon, the movie is available to stream now with a Netflix subscription.