Film Review – Cinderella
2 min read
The classic tale of Disney’s Cinderella is timeless – a young girl named Ella (Lily James) is left under the ruthless care of her stepmother, Lady Tremaine (Cate Blanchett) and her stepsisters Anastasia (Holliday Grainger) and Drizella (Sophie McShera). After a chance meeting with the Prince (Richard Madden), Cinderella experiences a whirlwind adventure of love, friendship and family with a magical twist.
A relatively unknown in Hollywood, besides her role in the highly popular British drama Downton Abbey, Lily James is ready to showcase her acting ability as she steps into the glass slippers of the most iconic fairytale role to date, Cinderella. With her flawless beauty and innocent charm, James is the rightful Cinderella – with acting capability to prove it. James provides a new and passionate performance into the iconic character, fiery and empowered, this new Cinderella blazes through her trials with confidence and certainty. She’s demure yet headstrong, James delivers a new foundation for the contemporary princess. With her Prince Charming in tow, Madden delivers a refined and chivalrous performance that creates a cohesive connection between the two leads. Branagh executes a great job at casting new and fresh actors – James and Madden – into classic roles, breathing fresh air into the traditional tale.
As Lady Tremaine, Blanchett is impeccable, faultlessly delivering intensity and wickedness to the role, emphasizing her dramatic artistry as well as. Blanchett gives justice to the renowned wicked stepmother role, formidable in her own right and letting nothing stand in her mission for power and status. Likewise, as the bubbly and enlightened Fairy Godmother, Helena Bonham Carter conveys a distinguished performance that is highly entertaining.
Of course, the most magical aspect of Cinderella is definitively the stunning cinematography. With outstanding sceneries, lush ambiences and colourful tones, Branagh fantastically executes the iconic romantic glamour of Cinderella. In this updated version, Cinderella doesn’t lose the elegance of the fairytale that the 1950’s animated film is well known for. Part of Cinderella’s charm is the visual beauty and wonder of the fairytale, an element that has been successful accomplished. With lavish gowns and opulent formal wear, acclaimed costume designer Sandy Powell achieves an outstanding task that elevates the film into a higher level, bringing rich and ethereal elements to both the story and its performances.
Unlike the previous adaptations, this modern Cinderella is contemporary, spirited, faithful to her convictions, constructing the modern feminist princess that emphasises in liberation and being empowered. In the vain of recent Disney characters – Frozen princesses Elsa and Anna – Cinderella is one step closer to the evolution of outspoken, determined fairytale characters.
A timeless tale about love and identity, director Kenneth Branagh’s updated and modern version of Disney’s Cinderella proves that her story is just as enchanting as it was once before.
[youtube id=”TC06pLIS_L0″ width=”620″ height=”360″]
