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Charming

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A scene in the movie Charming. (Black Sheep Productions)
A scene in the movie Charming. (Black Sheep Productions)

WHAT IT'S ABOUT:

Cursed with irresistible charm that bewitches the heart of every maiden in the Kingdom, Charming tells the unusual story of Prince Philippe Charming (Wilmer Valderrama) and his quest for true, true love. He sets off on a great adventure in the company of a roguish stranger called “Lenny” who, unbeknownst to Charming is actually Lenore (Demi Lovato), the only woman in the land immune to his curse, but also the bearer of her own unique curse: the inability to love.

WHAT WE THOUGHT:

After reading about what Charming is about – an irreverent animated comedic take on fairy tales we all know and love –  I was excited but unfortunately, left pretty disappointed.

In a turn of events Prince Charming (Wilmer Valderrama) is cursed with irresistible charm, leading all princesses to accept his marriage proposals, and is tasked with finding a true, true love or risk losing all claim to the throne.

Enter one kick-ass maiden named Lenore (Demi Lovato) who, at first, sees through the charm and only wants the prince for his money and you have yourself a fun adventure that is good enough to keep the kids mildly entertained.

The storyline of this animation is absolutely awesome. It’s funny, different and has a total badass female lead that will be a great role model for not only the kids watching but the adults too.

Unfortunately, the movie just didn’t come together and ended up being totally boring.

Ex-couple Wilmer and Demi voiced their characters before they broke up so, I will admit their real-life relationship brought great chemistry to their characters onscreen but sadly that’s where it ends.

The plot doesn’t advance naturally and while every cliché in the book is used in a ‘jokingly’ way, we still end up with a very predictable ending that almost goes against what I feel was the point of the entire story in the first place.

The rest of the cast includes big names such as Avril Lavigne voicing Snow White, Nia Vardalos voicing Nemeny Neverwish, Ashley Tisdale voicing Cinderella and John Cleese voicing Fairy Godmother / Executioner but with a weak script they don’t bring much to the table.

A fun little twist is the most random scene ever, which includes Sia voicing Half Oracle and singing a track titled Balladino.

Speaking of music, one thing I will say is that Charming has a banging sound track. If the music were any different the movie would be a total bust as it enhances every scene in a very needed way.

It’s not a Disney masterpiece but it’s not a total fail either, Charming is just not as appealing as you would expect it to be.



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