Cinderella

The first in what will now be a series of live action remakes of Disney classics, Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella is no radical reimagining of the well-known fairytale, but a retelling that retains all the magic and enchantment and yet still manages to create a sense of believability.

The story begins as we all know it. Ella (Lily James) sees her idyllic childhood turned upside down with the death of her mother and the subsequent remarriage of her father. Her new step-mother (Cate Blanchett) and step-sisters (Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger) move into her beloved home and, upon her father’s death, turn Ella into Cinderella - making her the servant of the household. Taught by her mother to always “have courage and be kind”, Ella attempts to see the best in the situation, but when it all becomes too much, she rides out into the forest where she meets a handsome stranger, who introduces himself just as Kit, but in fact is the prince of the realm (Richard Madden).

There are no real unexpected plot changes from the original story, but somewhat disappointingly, the musical element that was so pivotal in the original cartoon (remember Bibbity Bobbity Boo?) is almost non-existent. Nevertheless, strong performances from Cate Blanchett as Ella’s step-mother and Richard Madden as the prince who wants to do right by both his kingdom and his heart, create a sense of purpose and reason to their characters that were largely missing from the original cartoon. Disney are sticking to their current trend of “evil for a reason” and it gives a refreshing take on the classic tale of Cinderella.

Jess Walker