A classic tale presented as magical as the original was. Unlike Maleficent, it did not venture into untold territories. But even as it sticks to the story that everyone knows, it is done so beautifully and with so much effort on all parts - with so much heart & soul, if you will. There is nothing special about it apart from that it resurrected a classic story as beautiful as can be.
I can't seem to find words logical enough to explain why this film was amazingly done. With a classic plot that almost everyone knows - almost no action sequences to entertain the modern audience - yet it still rekindles old memories with a brand new magic.
Perhaps, the only reason I can find, is that it is done with so much heart & soul - from the director, the actors & actresses, and perhaps even the people in the editing room. You can see the actors really put their heart into it, especially Richard Madden (as Prince Kit), who was as charming and likeable as can be, and even Lily James (Cinderella), who portrayed the character with a certain degree of flair & power. They really took me by surprise by how well they made me like (and root for) the characters.
Kenneth Branagh surprised me with how well the tale was brought to life. There was so much energy with all the iconic moments, like the midnight clock striking and when the Prince fit the glass slipper on Cinderella. The scenes were done with so much power & drama, that as predictable as it is, still gave me chills when I saw it.
Furthermore, the stories that fill the gaps in between these iconic moments worked (almost) to perfection. Some scenes are just beautifully done, like when the Prince and Cinderella first met. And I have to admit, I was rooting for them to meet each other again ever since (although this is also where a bit of the setback comes in, for me). Meanwhile, every other characters also work well, like those that are meant to be hated, as are those that are meant to be likeable. And just to add, the stepsisters & stepmother are a bit too exagerrated, but their despise & stubborness provides some humorous moments.
The bit of the setback I had was with the implausiblity of one iconic moment, and I'm not talking about the magical fairy Godmother. The magic was fine, but I'm slightly disappointed with the palace dance scene. As I said, I was rooting for the Prince and Cinderella to meet each other once again, but I had hoped there would be more complexity with the palace scene. I didn't expect it to be that quick & easy. It could have been done more cleverly, with some setbacks before they get to meet one another. And I was hoping for more (shock) reaction from Cinderella in learning of the Prince. It need not be that smooth.
But otherwise, this movie is beautifully done. And there is also a small, sweet, surprising twist towards the end. With the exception of that, this film has nothing special or surprising to offer, but it is so magically and beautifully done with so much love, heart & soul put into it, that the iconic moments relive in your memories once again.
VERDICT:
Good: The last paragraph properly explains why I like this film...
Bad: A slight setback with one iconic moment that could have been done better...
SCORE: 8.0
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