Review: ‘Cinderella’ proves some classics work just fine without updating

Posted on March 20, 2015

By MARK VIOLA

This may be sacrilegious, but I’ve always found the story of “Cinderella” somewhat shallow. By this, of course, I mean the famed 1950 animated Disney classic, so I’m sure I’m not making many friends out there. Now I admit, the plight of the kind-hearted maiden being mistreated by her step-mother and step-sisters is sad, and her eventual triumph rewarding, but the whole idea of Cinderella dressing up pretty and wooing a prince by simply looking the most beautiful in the room just seemed, well, shallow.

So I wasn’t sure what to expect from the new “Cinderella,” Disney’s latest live action adaptation of its stable of fairy tales. Well, with accomplished director Kenneth Branagh (“Thor,” “Hamlet”) at the helm, and a story that stays true to the original while better developing the romance between Cinderella and the Prince, this is a quite wonderful film, and one which should entertain the entire family.

Featuring beautiful costumes and sets, along with a breakout performance from Lily James (“Downton Abbey”) in the title role, “Cinderella” is perhaps the best of Disney’s recent live action fairy tale efforts, proving that you don’t have to “update” a classic story to reach a new audience. Of course, there isn’t much in the way of action, and the biggest tension is when Cinderella is locked in the attic, but overall, the story is compelling and moving enough that the film does just fine without a few shoehorned action sequences.

“Cinderella” is a faithful adaptation, but one which adds a bit more depth to the story’s romantic underpinnings, and with the help of an outstanding cast coupled with steady direction, this is another Disney classic to be remembered.

The film is rated PG for mild thematic elements.

(This is a shortened version of the full review available in our printed or e-edition papers.)

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