*Contains spoilers for Spellbound*
I was left surprisingly moved after watching Netflix’s newest animated adventure Spellbound. It’s no surprise that these types of films often explore deep emotional themes, but Spellbound has an incredibly touching message that many families will appreciate.
Spellbound is a perfect family-friendly film that unravels nicely without surprising anyone. So you can understand my shock when I left the Spellbound screening with a tear in my eye as I discovered that this wasn’t just your average kids movie – it actually serves a very important purpose, in helping children understand divorce in a positive way.
Spellbound follows Princess Ellian (Rachel Zegler), the spritely young daughter of King Solon (Javier Bardem) and Queen Ellsmere (Nicole Kidman) of Lumbria, as she goes on an adventure to break the spell that has turned her parents into monsters. It may sound like the plot of your average children’s fantasy, but the film is brimming with metaphors about separation, grief, and family that you don’t even realize until towards the end.
A traditional fairy tale with a modern twist
In Spellbound, 15-year-old Ellian has been forced to become a caregiver to her own parents as they’ve become a pair of rambunctious monsters causing havoc in the castle that’s the family’s home. While trying to tame her rollicking royals and hide their unfortunate transformation from their subjects, she also has to assume other adult responsibilities like ruling the kingdom alone with the guidance of Minister Bolinar (John Lithgow) and Minister Nazara Prone (Jenifer Lewis). After Ellian summons two magical Oracles for help, the wisecracking pair tell her that the King and Queen have “lost their light” and she must venture into the Dark Forest to the Lake of Light and get it back.
What follows is a magical, musical delight that’s straight out of a Disney adventure with its bright, imaginative world and weird and wonderful creatures that reminded me of my favorite Disney story Tangled. Ellian’s quest isn’t all song and dance though, as she and her monster parents must avoid being swallowed by The Darkness, a black tornado that consumes people’s negative emotions and transforms them into a monster. This means the trio need to stay upbeat, which is a tall order given the King and Queen’s constant bickering and disagreements when they remember how to talk again, the spell having robbed them of the power of speech.
The obligatory happy ending appears to be on the horizon when they reach the Lake of Light – but this isn’t your traditional fairy tale. As the King and Queen step into the golden shimmering pool, it’s revealed that their fractured marriage is the cause of their transformation. The couple’s continuous quarreling is the reason why The Darkness came and turned them into monsters, a clever metaphor for how destructive and transformative a broken relationship can be on a family.
Once the King and Queen realize the detrimental effect their marital issues are having on their daughter, they make the decision to separate. Unfortunately, this revelation sends Ellian into a spiral of anger, despair and resentment that’s heartbreaking to watch. Even though I haven’t gone through this experience, I instantly empathized with the sense of devastation, betrayal, and inner turmoil that many children go through when their parents divorce. Ellian’s woe soon attracts the wrath of The Darkness and her parents put aside their differences, and join forces to save their daughter before she’s turned into a monster herself. Ultimately, thanks to her parents’ endless reassurance, comfort and love, Ellian comes to terms with their divorce, and goes back to being the happy girl she was before.
Divorce can bring huge changes to a child’s life that can feel like the world is ending. But this potential best Netflix movie approaches the topic with a positive mindset in a way that can help children cope with divorce and explore their emotions. It’s an important message that I’m sure kids and adults will benefit from, and Spellbound will definitely make you shed a tear or two, even if you haven’t experienced a life-changing event like this.
Spellbound is available to stream on the best streaming service from November 22.