The Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement
-Directed by: Gary Marshall
Mia: Anne Hathaway
Clarisse: Julie Andrews
After the stellar success of the original Princess Diaries, you could see the sequel coming a mile off. It's just what happens with movies anymore. With Gary Marshall at the helm though, there's something different. There's an outstanding chance the sequel will actually be good. Marshall is a master at comedy, Disney knows it, and audiences have come to expect it. And that, essentially, is one of the main problems with this well meaning sequel. You expect the jokes, and that's kind of sad.
We rejoin Mia as she's graduating from college, with the incredibly fitting major of international relations, and we're caught up on the goings on of some of the last movie's key players as the young princess returns to her home of Genovia for her 21st birthday. It's there that she reunites with her grandmother Clarisse and her chief of security Joe (Julie Andrews and Hector Elizondo respectively). Right off the bat, you're brought back into the warmth the first movie did so well, and a good deal of the credit for that can go to Andrews. She is a graceful presence on-screen and adds a bit of class to the movie as she's able to crack some jokes of her own. Elizondo is a perfect foil for her, being the straight man in just the right way to make you really see how much he cares not only about his job, but the women he protects.
But now the plot thickens as the parliment of Genovia enforces a long ignored law about how an unmarried woman cannot take the throne. Thanks to the manipulations of Viscount Mabrey (John Rhys-Davies), there's also an alternative if Mia cannot find a suitable husband. His nephew Nicholas is ready and able. (Did I mention he's pretty cute?) Newcomer Chris Pine made more than a few hearts flutter in the screening I attended. Luckily though, there's more to it. He's fantastic as he goes from being a King-hopeful to someone who realizes that what he's doing is just wrong. You see the transition and take it with him until you're hoping he really does become the one to win not the crown...but the girl wearing it.
Now for the sad part. The movie tries awfully hard to be funny. When a movie does that it often fails, and does so miserably. It's to the credit of Marshall and his cast that it doesn't fail. Anne Hathaway is a gifted actress who has proven she can carry physical comedy. She is what saves some obvious jokes from just being lame. When she's on screen there is a sweetness that comes with her that's hard not to like, and harder still to dismiss. Add to that the incomparable Andrews and newcomer Chris Pine, you have a movie that is what makes summer movie watching fun. It's light hearted, good spirited, and perfect for princesses of all ages. (Even grown up ones.)
-Jenn Untch
Liberty, Missouri
indigojenn@earthlink.net
Is there a movie you'd like me to review? Let me know!
