Spellbound Parent Guide

In the magical kingdom of Lumbira, Princess Ellian (Rachel Zegler) is hiding a big secret: her parents are monsters. Real monsters; not simply strict parents resented by teenagers. On a trip to the Dark Forest of Enchanted Darkness, the king and queen (Javier Bardem and Nicole Kidman) were magically transformed and don’t seem to remember anything or have any trace of their humanity left. Although the palace staff have managed to keep this transformation a secret for a year, they know that the kingdom will find out eventually and the monarchs will be banished far away.

Desperate to get her parents back, Princess Ellian reaches out to the Oracles of the Sun and Moon (Titus Burgess and Nathan Lane), who inform her that the king and queen must journey to the Lake of Light, where they can shed their dark feelings and become human again. But wrangling two uncooperative creatures is no easy task, challenging Ellian’s positive nature and hopeful spirit as they set out on the adventure of a lifetime.

I grew up during the Disney Renaissance, when such films as Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King were the norm for the studio. Alan Menkin’s sweeping scores and catchy ballads were the soundtrack of my childhood, paired with thoughtful, well-written stories and characters. That studio seems to make those movies less and less these days, which has created a bit of a vacuum in children’s entertainment. There are occasional exceptions, whether from the Mouse House or other studios, but audiences are lucky if we get one or two movies a year that can match Disney’s heights. And Netflix has done it with Spellbound.

First and foremost, I must rave about the production design and aesthetics of this production. The worldbuilding is some of the most creative I’ve ever seen, blending various influences into a cohesive whole. The backgrounds alone are worth the price of admission, but the film is full of beautifully animated sequences bursting with color and creativity. Alan Menkin’s score more than lives up to the gorgeous visuals, tying the story, characters, and scenery together perfectly.

Amazingly, the story and characters are a match for the gorgeous visuals and soundtrack. All the actors do a fantastic job, and each character feels lived in and well-rounded. The narrative tackles surprisingly mature themes but does so in a way that is relatable to young audiences. The overall story deals with how children cope with parental separation, but it also tackles hope, positivity, cooperation, and how to handle dark emotions in healthy ways. I laughed out loud at many scenes, but also shed a couple of tears at the end. This is a modern fairy tale, told in a way that never talks down to its young audience. It’s also laugh out loud funny, which audiences of any age will appreciate.

With next to no negative content aside from some mild peril, Spellbound is a perfect choice for almost any viewer. I’ve already chosen it for my family’s next movie night, and I hope our readers will do the same. It’s not often you get to see something that is well written and produced while also being perfectly suited to audiences of all ages.