Ella Enchanted - A Movie Review

Believe in your dreams and they will come true.

Based on the book written by Gail Carson Levine, Ella Enchanted sparkled into theaters in 2004. Cursed to do everything she is told to do, Ella has to hide this from her stepfamily. Unfortunately, the word gets out. Noticed by the prince, Ella’s spell is put to the wrong test.

I saw Ella Enchanted when I was little and fell in love with it. Fantasy stories are always a fun approach. No matter who you are, anybody can fight to make a change.

Anne Hathaway was perfect for this role. She carries the film. Stuck with an unwanted gift, Ella never speaks ill about it. Hathaway is very talented, shining her singing talents and other hidden abilities. She makes the character fun and quirky. Aside from comedy, Hathaway is also a tremendous dramatic actress.

The ensemble for Ella Enchanted is filled with various actors who have been seen in many genres. Hugh Daney did a great job as the prince, making his character his own, instead of sticking to fairytale cliches.

In contrast to his heroic character in The Princess Bride, Cary Elwes was excellent in a villainous role. More credits include Joanna Lumley, Aiden McArdle, Lucy Punch, Jennifer Higham, Minnie Driver, Vivica A. Fox, and a whole ensemble of characters. They’re all so witty, immediately connecting to the tone of the story.

The storyline for Ella Enchanted is similar to Cinderella. Lumley, Punch, and Higman had fun being as unpleasant and ruthless as Ella’s stepfamily. Since I have seen various renditions of Cinderella recently, this cliche has been overworked.

One change that I would make is Ella’s friend, Areida (Parminder Nagra). Due to Ella’s curse, she disappears. Once the movie is over, she has repeated apparently rekindling with Ella offscreen. I wanted to see more of the friendship. Areida could have had more of a part in the story.

The style is lovely. Ella Enchanted is a distinct fantasy. It’s a mix of modern components and early ages. I know the film is trying to be different but the modern ideas are distracting from the main story. It should have picked a time period, whether modern or medieval.

Filming took place in Ireland. Due to the overcast skies, filmmakers digitalized blue skies. Filmmakers put their time and commitment into working on this film. In a mix of live action and using CGI models, it resembles more of a fantasy. A lot of special effect creations went into the distribution of this film. It took 6 months to create the opening shot of the film.

Green screen effects are noticeable like when giants and ‘normal’ humans are together in a scene. Ella Enchanted has its own style. That’s what I like about it.

Tommy O’Haver enjoyed the process of working on this film. I’m impressed with his fresh ideas. He made changes and set decisions that turned the film into what it was. Ella Enchanted is a romantic tale. The moral stands out.

The moral of Ella Enchanted is that you should be happy with yourself for who you are. Just because you notice someone is different doesn’t mean you should take advantage of it. Not the most original story, as I mentioned reminding me of Cinderella or even Shrek, this is a fun movie that you shouldn’t miss out on.

Ella Enchanted is the right fantasy film for all ages. It’s a sweet and charming story. For your next family night, I recommend that you watch Ella Enchanted. You may find yourself dancing to the music.