Despite the fact that "Ella Enchanted" is a children's novel, I really enjoyed it. It was clever, entertaining, and impressively original for having been based on the age-old story of Cinderella.
The movie is a lot better if you've never read the book.
There are a ton of discrepancies between book and film. Now, I realize that whenever you translate a book to the big screen, some things are going to change, or be lost, or be added. I also realize that not all film adaptations can be Lord of the Rings. But for some reason, the makers of THIS film didn't seem to feel that Ella's original predicament -- receiving the "gift" of obedience as a baby which forced her to do anything anyone told her to do -- was enough for a movie. They swapped out Prince Charmont's very nice parents for an evil regent who tries to force Ella to clear his path to the crown, and added a few moderately amusing but altogether bizarre song-and- dance routines. Most of those scenes had me outright cringing. They also took away Ella's position as the protagonist-narrator and inserted an additional character to tell her story.
That's not to say the movie is entirely without merit. The casting is excellent; Cary Elwes is a delicious villain, Eric Idle is a delight as the narrator, and Anne Hathaway sparkles as Ella. And I was pleased to see that the film does remain true to the source material's underlying message -- that in spite of whatever happens in your life, you have the power to make your own happy ending.
All in all, it's a good film for the kids. But the book is better.
The movie is a lot better if you've never read the book.
There are a ton of discrepancies between book and film. Now, I realize that whenever you translate a book to the big screen, some things are going to change, or be lost, or be added. I also realize that not all film adaptations can be Lord of the Rings. But for some reason, the makers of THIS film didn't seem to feel that Ella's original predicament -- receiving the "gift" of obedience as a baby which forced her to do anything anyone told her to do -- was enough for a movie. They swapped out Prince Charmont's very nice parents for an evil regent who tries to force Ella to clear his path to the crown, and added a few moderately amusing but altogether bizarre song-and- dance routines. Most of those scenes had me outright cringing. They also took away Ella's position as the protagonist-narrator and inserted an additional character to tell her story.
That's not to say the movie is entirely without merit. The casting is excellent; Cary Elwes is a delicious villain, Eric Idle is a delight as the narrator, and Anne Hathaway sparkles as Ella. And I was pleased to see that the film does remain true to the source material's underlying message -- that in spite of whatever happens in your life, you have the power to make your own happy ending.
All in all, it's a good film for the kids. But the book is better.