Animated affair

Ervell E. Menezes

Do fairy-tales still work? Well, it depends on how they are made. And though Kenneth Branagh looks like an unlikely candidate for the job, he does an excellent job because he takes liberties and avoids unnecessary details. The magic is well-handled and does not interfere with the flow of the narrative. The mice are cute, as is one sequence of them joining forces to open the door. 

We all know of Cinderella (Lily James) and her glass slipper, which she leaves behind at midnight (after which the magic is ineffective) and Prince Charming (Richard Madden) finding it, so it does not need repetition. Also, that her step-mother Lady Terraine (Cate Blanchett) and step-sisters Anastasia (Holiday Granger) and Onzella (Sophia McShera) treat her like dirt. But when all seems lost, in comes the Fairy Godmother (Helena Bonham-Cater) to save the day.

This reviewer, however, never knew that her original name was Ella and because cinders from the fire-place were seen on her face the step-sisters called her Cinderella. But to her mother (Hayley Atwell), who dies early, she was always special because she saw the world not as it was, but as it should be. For that she advised her daughter to ‘have courage’ and ‘be kind’ — two precepts she never forgot.

These precepts she also finds in Prince Charming, whom she accidentally runs into in the forest. That the Prince falls head over heels in love with her is also expected. He is bent on marrying Cinderella when a number of princesses are lined up for him to choose from. Chris Weitz’s screenplay is effectively modern without cutting of the old-world-charm graphically captured by Haris Zamabartoukis’ caressing camera to provide a visual feast for the eyes. It is 112 minutes of super-entertainment further enhanced by adept performances. Lily James and Richard Madden, both newcomers, do well and are ably supported by seasoned stars like Cate Blanchett and Helena Bonham-Carter. Maybe the middle portion is a tad weak and could have been better edited, but it surely picks up in the last quarter to finish on a high note.