Kenneth Branagh’s rendition of “Cinderella” is everything you want it to be and more. Too many remakes have left out your favorite scene from the book or the original production or added an unexpected twist or spin on the original plot that didn’t sit well with the audience. It is the same story you have loved since you were two but better quality. This remake doesn’t add — it expands.
No new information is added to the story that isn’t absolutely necessary to move the plot forward. Added details were implemented to expand on facts that help you better understand the tale. (Editor's note: There are spoilers ahead, so don't be mad at us. We warned you.) Before watching the 2015 "Cinderella," you may have wondered the following:
Why don't the stepmother and stepsisters recognize Cinderella at the ball?
Cinderella’s fairy godmother casts a spell on Cinderella that prohibits anyone from recognizing her.
Why is her name Cinderella?
Because she is forced to sleep in the freezing attic, Ella would sometimes sleep near the kitchen fireplace and wake up with cinders covering her face. Her stepsisters then nicknamed her Cinderella.
What ever happened to Cinderella’s parents?
When Cinderella was young, her mother fell ill and died and when Cinderella was in her late teens. Her father died during an expedition.
What is Prince Charming’s actual name?
His father, the king, refers to him as “Kit.”
Where do the stepmother and stepsisters run off to at the end?
The stepmother and stepsisters run off with an immoral duke who worked for the king. They never step foot in the kingdom again.
Now you know.
This larger then life remake will satisfy dreamers everywhere. The countryside of Buckinghamshire, England is so breathtaking, the costumes had to be equally as extravagant. Lily James, who plays Cinderella, somehow makes wearing no makeup look flawless and fabulous, while the stepsister’s hair is almost glamorous enough to bring ringlet curls back into style. The beginning is so lovely that it almost appears to be another story and you forget you know the entire plot and that everything wonderful will soon be lost.
Coming from the hit show "Downton Abbey," James already has a background in acting regal and proper, but in "Cinderella" she showcases her sweet and tender side of acting. She plays the unrealistically kind princess as realistically as possible to where you aren’t sick to your stomach, but you do want to go donate to a charity or swear off crude character traits forever.
Cate Blanchett puts an interesting spin on the once old, nasty stepmother. Don’t get me wrong, the stepmother is still unbelievably evil, but Blanchett played her in a way where she is enchantingly wicked. The stepmother is lavish, wealthy and beautiful to a point where you almost want her to approve of you. And she lures you in with her sly smile and then crushes you under her own ambitions.
The audience is able to see Kit (or Prince Charming) as a real character instead of solely a superficial prince named “Charming.” He is vulnerable and has goals, ambitions and dreams — he even breaks down crying at one point.
This story is what it is and has always been — an unrealistic, superficial fairytale that satisfies the audience’s need for dreams and seemingly impossible fates. But it is beautiful and it is magical. All of the elements of the original story are enhanced for a pleasant viewing experience. As the same childlike story with a new sense of artistic maturity, “Cinderella” is sure to satisfy kids ages one to 100.