Ella Enchanted  (2004)

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Hugh Dancy, Vivica A. Fox
Director: Tommy O'Haver

Rating: PG

Studio: Miramax

Release Date: 04.09.04

Review Posted: 04.09.04

Spoilers: Minor

By Rachel Sexton

Female Power Rules Fabulous, Fresh Fairy Tale

At the risk of sounding redundant, as I wrote in my last review for a new film, fairy-tale influenced stories are one of the current trends Hollywood is cultivating. After The Prince and Me last week, and previous films like Ever After, Shrek, and The Princess Diaries, Ella Enchanted is the latest in a string of these projects. What’s more, similar movies are in no short supply for the coming months. Let’s hope most of these take their cue from this film. With its combination of inspiring themes, hearty humor, good production values, and appealing performances, Ella Enchanted is, well, enchanting.

Based on Gail Carson Levine’s young adult book of the same name, Ella Enchanted is the story of Ella (Anne Hathaway) who lives in Frell with her father after having lost her mother early in life. At birth, Ella had received the gift of obedience from foolish fairy Lucinda (Vivica A. Fox) and now that’s she’s a young woman, it controls her life. If someone tells her to do something, she must. Things become even worse when her father marries again, to Dame Olga (Joanna Lumley), the expected evil stepmother complete with two evil stepsisters, Hattie and Olive. Ella leaves to try to break the spell and encounters ogres, elves, giants, and Prince Char (Hugh Dancy) along the way. Ella and Char soon love each other, and it is soon clear that Char’s uncle, Prince Regent Edgar (Cary Elwes), is the devious and duplicitous villain. Breaking the curse and marrying the hero is, of course, the requisite happy ending.

The story is the foundation of why this film is so entertaining. Shades of Cinderella are obvious in the plot, which is quite different from the book. Some of the changes create a more intense conflict than in the book. As for the plot by itself, the storyline here works. While staying true to the conventions of this type of story, the writers also manage to inject a little unpredictability into the script. The comedy here is a treat as well. It is mostly of the anachronistic kind, with things like a Prince Char fan club, magazines like Medieval Teen, and Dame Olga uses a product for wrinkles called “Bat-ox.” The comedy also often comes from the characters themselves. For instance, Olive is a kleptomaniac.

Director Tommy O’Haver redeems himself nicely with Ella Enchanted after Get Over It, and I noticed more of a technique from him this time around. For example, when Ella and Char visit the giants, aside from special effects, clever camera angles are used to represent the difference in heights. The production values are memorable as well; particularly the look of the costumes, as well as gorgeous locations (in Ireland and creative special effects work. My favorite aspect about the film is probably the music, though. The cast, especially Hathaway, sings some familiar songs, my favorite being the Queen classic “Somebody To Love.” Also of note is the final scene’s song and dance to Elton John’s “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.” O’Haver is particularly adept at these types of scenes.

As the lead, Hathaway proves herself a reliable lead, clearly comfortable with comedy, and audiences can relate to her character. Dancy is a romantic leading man, if this film is any indication. Casting agents and directors, give this man his own major film, quickly! Together, Hathaway and Dancy are effective, plus it was pretty cool to see Cary Elwes back on the big screen, and here’s hoping he won’t have to play another villain. I should say the same about Eric Idle, who proves a wonderful narrator.

Ella Enchanted delights with its romantic, funny, and inspiring story, good production values, and likeable performances. Other fairy-tale-inspired films will be a welcome enjoyment if they can achieve these same things. The reassuring endings and delineations of good and bad in these stories have a certain comfort post-9/11. Toward the end of Ella Enchanted, the various races of the kingdom band together. Is this an allegorical harbinger for our time, even slightly? Perhaps, but try not to hope for the best in all people after this film.

Film Rating: êêêê  (out of 5)

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