I've noticed that of all the non-Disney animated films of the
90's, this is one of the most forgotten. I distinctly recall seeing it
with my best friend when I was 9, and I was simply enthralled! It's a
very sophisticated, charming, yet highly unregarded film from Richard
Rich studios.
The Swan Princess tells the story of Odette & Derek, a prince and princess
who were betrothed to wed since Odettes birth. To push along the romance, their
parents set them up each summer of their childhood, in hopes that they will
fall in love. Unfortunately, they turn out to be bitter rivals, resenting each
other more and more. For some unknown reason, they eventually fall in love,
seeing each other in a new light on their final summer. But when Princess Odette
realises that Derek only loves her for her looks, she turns him down, much to
the dismay of their parents. Suddenly, an evil sorcerer named Rothbart kidnaps
Odette, and kills her father, King William! It turns out that Rothbart has had
a grudge against William for a long time, and has been plotting to take his
Kingdom for years. After he kidnaps Odette, he threatens her with a curse: If
she refuses to marry him(making him the legal ruler), she will be the victim
of a wicked spell that turns her into a Swan. The specific rules of the curse
are complex, and directly related to the position of the moon.
The remainder of the film consists of Odettes attempts to escape her curse,
and Dereks attempts to find her. All in all, it's a romantic fairy tale, loosely
based on Swan Lake. The characters are all well done, with the exception of
Prince Derek. He's a bit on the shallow side, and doesn't score that high in
the looks department if you ask me. Other than that, he has a great voice, and
some even greater songs. The voice actors are at their best, and the character
design is wonderful to say the least. And of course, the lovely, "Broadway worthy"
score is not to be missed! I highly recomend it, but avoid the sequals like
the plague! They're just no good. Recomended for fans of: Beauty & The Beast,
Anastasia, Sleeping Beauty, and/or Thumbelina.
This site is hosted by DrakNet