Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Ella lives in a magical world in which each child, at the moment of their birth, is given a virtuous "gift" from a fairy godmother. Ella's so-called gift, however, is obedience. This birthright proves itself to be quite the curse once Ella finds herself in the hands of several unscrupulous characters whom she quite literally cannot disobey. Determined to gain control of her life and decisions, Ella sets off on a journey to find her fairy godmother who she hopes will lift the curse. The path, however, isn't easy -- Ella must outwit a slew of unpleasant obstacles including ogres, giants, wicked stepsisters, elves and Prince Charmont's evil uncle, who wants to take over the crown and rule the kingdom.
Ella Enchanted is a charming, witty fairy tale adaptation that puts a fresh comedic spin on the Cinderella premise through the clever obedience curse conceit, earning a decent Plot score. Anne Hathaway anchors the film with likable energy and the supporting cast is serviceable, though nothing outstanding. Cinematography is functional at best — the production design is colorful but cheap-feeling, lacking the visual ambition of stronger fantasy films. Novelty gets a modest bump for its playful anachronistic humor and self-aware tone, which gives it a distinct voice even if it borrows heavily from familiar fairy tale tropes. The ending is rushed and tonally uneven, resolving the central conflict in a fairly predictable and underwhelming fashion.