Cinderella
Starring Lily James, Cate Blanchett
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
There is no reinventing the proverbial folk tale wheel when it comes to Kenneth Branagh's retelling of the beloved classic, Cinderella, and, as the clichéd adage goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Converting the animated Disney catalogue into live action has met with mixed results - Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent attained box office success but were not well received by most critics. With Beauty and the Beast and Dumbo on the way, so continues a new era for the studio.
Thankfully, the team behind Cinderella manage to pull it off by assembling a formidable cast that includes Downton Abbey's Lily James as our self-empowered but downtrodden heroine, Game of Thrones star Richard Madden playing the charming Prince and scene-stealing Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett giving her best as the wickedly seething Stepmother. Throw in stage actor Derek Jacobi's King and Helena Bonham Carter's Fairy Godmother and the pieces begin to merge nicely.
Aside from some silliness involving things like chattering computer-generated mice and a few lizard-like coachmen, the film carries plenty of vibrancy thanks to elaborate sets and stunning costumes, and offers a thoughtful script from Chris Weitz that isn't afraid to examine family loss several times throughout the plot.
The veteran Branagh, having proved his blockbuster mettle directing 2011's Thor, once again brings an elegance and class to what could easily have turned into saccharine pap. There are few surprises in Cinderella, minor tweaks update the tale, but sometimes old fashioned storytelling and genuine romance trump modern day gimmickry.
