Ella Enchanted, I've read the book (many times) and seen the movie (once). My dad, 47 and the only male in the theatre when he took me to see it, loved it. I enjoyed it too, but I would have liked it much better if it had not been called Ella Enchanted.
They say based on the book. I say loosely based on the book, very loosely.
The story follows Ella, a young girl cursed with the gift of obedience. Whatever anyone tells her to do, she does. She has absolutely no choice. This, however, is not OK with Ella. So Ella begins a quest to find her Fairy Godmother, Lucinda. Instead she finds an elf who wants to become a lawyer, really hungry ogres, and giants who are a great deal kinder than some royal person's uncle wants anyone to find out. And she meets a prince who is strongly attracted to the only girl who ever did not like him.
I did enjoy the movie. It was fun, light and entertaining. There was some crude humor that could have been left out, but overall the movie was well written with some witty dialogue. And the actors performed well.
However, in my opinion the movie simply did not compare to the book. There was little depth to any of the characters except Ella and the prince. Ella's mother, her real Fairy Godmother Mandy, and her best friend Arieda, were all underplayed. And in the book the other races - elves, ogres, and giants had so much more to them, more life, traits, and characteristics that simply were not shown in the movie. I also felt as though the movie's major climax - though itself very well done and the best part of the movie - did not have enough proof and tension leading up to it, and afterwards, all that was still left for the characters to do took away from the climax. And, most importantly of all, the book had more humor and more wit.
I do recommend seeing this movie. I also recommend reading the book, and I must confess I hope someday they make a remake that follows the book a little closer.
They say based on the book. I say loosely based on the book, very loosely.
The story follows Ella, a young girl cursed with the gift of obedience. Whatever anyone tells her to do, she does. She has absolutely no choice. This, however, is not OK with Ella. So Ella begins a quest to find her Fairy Godmother, Lucinda. Instead she finds an elf who wants to become a lawyer, really hungry ogres, and giants who are a great deal kinder than some royal person's uncle wants anyone to find out. And she meets a prince who is strongly attracted to the only girl who ever did not like him.
I did enjoy the movie. It was fun, light and entertaining. There was some crude humor that could have been left out, but overall the movie was well written with some witty dialogue. And the actors performed well.
However, in my opinion the movie simply did not compare to the book. There was little depth to any of the characters except Ella and the prince. Ella's mother, her real Fairy Godmother Mandy, and her best friend Arieda, were all underplayed. And in the book the other races - elves, ogres, and giants had so much more to them, more life, traits, and characteristics that simply were not shown in the movie. I also felt as though the movie's major climax - though itself very well done and the best part of the movie - did not have enough proof and tension leading up to it, and afterwards, all that was still left for the characters to do took away from the climax. And, most importantly of all, the book had more humor and more wit.
I do recommend seeing this movie. I also recommend reading the book, and I must confess I hope someday they make a remake that follows the book a little closer.
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