Movie Review: Cinderella (2021)

Amazon Prime's latest adaptation of Cinderella which was released last Friday (September 3) has received quite a lot of negative reviews. This made me a bit hesitant to watch since it may just be a waste of time. Actually, as of writing, it has a 44% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. 

Anyway, as a huge Cinderella fan, I decided to just see it for myself and ended up having mixed reactions about the movie too. Watching the first few minutes was cringe-worthy as I was expecting something different. 

Then, I realized that it is important that we need to manage our expectations to be able to enjoy the movie.

1. First, the movie is not produced by Disney so, it is important to let go of our expectation of the "magical feels" while watching this movie.  

2. It's a musical. It's like Pitch Perfect + High School Musical + James Corden's crosswalk musicals combined. So, if you are a fan of those, then this movie is for you. (By the way, James is part of the cast and one of the producers) 

3. One thing that I love about Disney's movies and adaptation is their attention to detail. That is something that is missing here. 

4. Happily Ever After means different in this adaptation. Her dream is not about marrying the prince, living in the palace, etc. (This has be shown even in the trailers) Instead, it focuses on the "girl boss feminism thing" and it is not only through Ella's character but also with the other characters in the movie too. 

Thus, if you are looking for something that is a princessy type (if there is such a term.)

This movie is not for you.  Ella in this movie is a bit "rough."

Do you recommend the movie? 

One thing that is notable in the movie is that it is inclusive in terms of race, gender, and size. Parental Guidance is a must since it uses strong words such as "idiot", "disgusting" to describe people and animals. 

What the movie can improve on? 

Since Ella is shown as a promising dressmaker in the movie, I hope they did not skip making clothes for her mice friends. It was one thing I loved in the original animated movie and with all the sewing supplies available, it wouldn't be far-fetched to make one for them. 

I also wouldn't mind if they just throw away the movie title and choose another one instead of banking on the popularity of a classic. They can also opt for better song choices and find one that we can better associate with Cinderella. I don't think "Let's Get Loud" is one of them. 

Anyway, that's it for now. How about you? What do you think of the movie? Let us know in the comments section below.