If you are looking for a fantasy movie that can stand apart from the crowd, Netflix has you covered. Released on Oct. 19, “The School for Good and Evil” is a movie adaptation of the book of the same name in the series written by Soman Chainani (“One True King”). Both cosmetically and narratively it is truly a breath of fresh air against the constant stream of Disney remakes and unoriginal reimaginings of the same several fairytale romances.
Lightly sprinkled with swear words here and there along with a fair dose of peril, the film earns its PG-13 rating well enough. This is about the closest any modern PG-13 film has gotten to being on par with a common G-rated movie from the ‘80s. Hilariously enough, “The School for Good and Evil” finds the balance between ‘this is for babies’ and ‘should they be watching this?’ in the appropriate proportions. The friendship between Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso, “Beetlejuice: The Musical”) and Agatha (Sofia Wylie, “Andi Mack”) is sweet to watch and will likely leave you sobbing in multiple instances as their journey within the “Good” and “Evil” schools threatens to rip them apart.
However, while most scenes dazzle with fresh unpredictability, some things fall flat. There are points where some lines between characters can be predicted before they even finish saying them, but that is not what puts a dent in the film. The reasoning behind the fight scene during the orientation is confusing, and Sophie’s runway scene is heavy on the cringe factor. It is also unclear what the name of the fantasy realm is outside of just the school, while the town Sophie and Agatha hail from is clearly addressed as Gavaldon.
As far as computer-generated imagery (CGI) goes, the effects are decent, though not quite at the same level as those seen in other recent fantasy films like “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” (2019). Much of the film’s beauty and splendor lies in its setting, which is quintessential to depicting a fanciful and magical land. Shot in multiple locations around Belfast, Northern Ireland, viewers will delight in the gothic majesty of Saint Peter’s Church and the sprawling mossy green of Big Dog Forest. To match the scenery, the costumes are also gorgeous. From the fanciful pastels of the “Good” school to the wicked black attire of their opposite, each cast member looks exquisite.
The casting certainly proves to be stunning as well, boasting bigger names such as Charlize Theron (“Atomic Blonde”) and Kerry Washington (“Scandal”) as Lady Lenora Lesso and Professor Clarissa Dovey respectively. Laurence Fishburne (“John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum”) appears as the School Master and the narration is done by Cate Blanchett (“Blue Jasmine”), which feels unnecessary until it was shown to be a wall-breaking trope where the characters can hear the narrator’s voice and react to it. You will surely fall in love with Hort (Earl Cave, “Alex Rider”) whose heart beats only for Sophie in the cutest way.
Since there are currently seven books in the series with an eighth on the way, audiences have reason to expect a sequel in the coming years. The twist at the end of the movie also heavily signals that there should be more to come, and hopefully there will be.
Image from Netflix via YouTube
