Ella and the Little Sorceror Parent Guide
This charmless tale has all the coherence of a rambling story told by a tired toddler.
Parent Movie Review
Prince Alex (Chris Niosi) has been trapped in the body of a mouse by a witch, and his only hope to become human is the fabled Life Stone. Thankfully, the prince has loyal friends, Ella and Crystal (Geri Courtney-Austein and Ashley Bornancin), who set out on a cross-country quest to save him. Along the way their friendship will be tested as they face increasingly difficult obstacles.
You know when a little kid tries to make up a story and they get into a pattern of saying “and then this happened and then this happened and then this happened”? That’s what this movie is. The story is just a sequence of barely related events that happen with no real purpose in a world populated by characters lacking either personalities or motivations. Perversely, the most interesting part of the film is the opening exposition that explains why Alex is a mouse. Why didn’t the filmmakers focus on that story? Instead, this production feels like a cheap sequel to a non-existent film. The climactic battle scene isn’t even between any of the main characters. There are so many bizarre choices in this script that I can’t even begin to list them all.
The animation is cheap and bland, and I spent the entire runtime trying to figure out if the dialogue was dubbed or not. The mouths sort of match the voices, but not really. Also, a side character pops up for about 10 minutes whose recording quality is noticeably different from everyone else’s. It sounds like this actor was recorded underwater or something, which speaks to the minimal level of care put into all aspects of this production.
There is very little negative content, which makes this suitable for most audiences, but I can’t imagine anyone outside of the preschool demographic enjoying themselves. The messages are simple and obvious, focusing on friendship, trust, and forgiveness. If you have a very small child at home who’s into magic and talking animal sidekicks, they might have a fun time. Or you could turn on literally any other major animated feature and get the exact same elements but with better quality, so I guess the choice is up to you.
Directed by Alice Blehart. Starring Geri Courtney-Austein, Ashley Bornancin, Chris Niosi. Running time: 90 minutes. Theatrical release March 4, 2022. Updated January 10, 2024Watch the trailer for Ella and the Little Sorceror
Ella and the Little Sorceror
Rating & Content Info
Why is Ella and the Little Sorceror rated Not Rated? Ella and the Little Sorceror is rated Not Rated by the MPAA
Violence: There are scenes of mild fantasy violence and peril. A character is chased by another character wielding a knife. Two witches fight each other with magic. A character falls from a cliff.
Sexual Content: None.
Profanity: Some mild insults like “stupid” and “creep”. One use of a term of deity.
Alcohol / Drug Use: None.
Page last updated January 10, 2024
Ella and the Little Sorceror Parents' Guide
Why does Crystal get mad at Ella? How does she feel she’s being treated? What does Ella do differently to be a better friend?
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Middle grade readers will get a kick out of the very funny The Adventurer’s Guide to Successful Escapes. Written by Wade Albert White, it’s the first volume in his series entitled Saint Lupin’s Quest Academy for Consistently Dangerous and Absolutely Terrifying Adventures.
James Riley’s Half Upon a Time launches a series that provides humorous mashups of well known fairy tales and new storylines.
Home Video
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