A tame joyful film for the whole family. Just no big hit.

Rating: 5/10 (14 May 2011)

This movie conforms to all rules classical Disney films set up. Old Brothers Grimm story? Check. Boy saves princess? Check. Singing? Check. Sidekicks providing humor? Check. Happy End...? I guess thats barely a spoiler...
That is as good a fact as it is bad. It all depends on how one stands toward these. Do you like this rigid screenplay framework? Then you'll probably enjoy this. And as such it probably works for the whole family.
I still gave it a 5/10 for being so tame. There isn't any real villain in there, even the old woman isn't evil by heart. The problem i see here is that in this way the male protagonist can't portray the hero as good as the kitschy rest of the movie wants him to be. He's merely a thief and pretty much receives the grand price, the hand of the princess, without all too much deserving it. All he had to do is run off with her, pretty much true to his trade.
In my point this is one reason why the classics are the classics and this one never will be. Cinderella, Snow Wite, the Junglebook, Aladdin, Lionking... They all had great villains and thanks to those were great in making heroes. It's a pity that got lost somewhere.