Disney self-parody is enjoyable adventure for the whole family

Rating: 9/10 (21 November 2007)

When I first saw the trailer for this film I had my doubts that it would ever fly. The idea of turning Disney fantasy characters into real people running around New York City seemed clumsy and silly.
The film soared way past my expectations. It is a wild ride from start to finish and offers nonstop laughter for child and adult alike. Between all the unrelenting humor it offers a simple and tender message of love and acceptance that is understandable by people of all ages.
Kudos go to actress Amy Adams who very plausibly fulfills how one might expect a Disney fantasy heroine to behave once turned into flesh and blood. Her talents really make the whole outlandish story work.
The cute self parodies on all the elements from classing Disney-adapted fairy tales are too numerous to go into here, but they give the film a buoyancy and bubbly never-ending pace.
My only small criticism is that the talented Susan Sarandon was underutilized in her role as the wicked queen. Her henchman, played by Timothy Spall, wasn't nearly as funny or engaging in the screen time allotted. One can imagine an energetic cat-and-mouse chase around Manhattan between the queen and the princess.
It's been a very long time since I'm seen a children's film so complete enjoyable, funny and touching. I was beginning to lose hope after sitting through the very un-funny "Bee Movie." No wonder it was released a couple weeks earlier. In terms of pure entertainment, this film is light-years ahead of that insipid clunker.