Happily N'Ever After (2006)

User Rating:

3.9/10   

Directors:

Paul Bolger
Yvette Kaplan

Writers:

Douglas Langdale (additional writer)
Robert Moreland (writer)

Release Date:

5 January 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Comedy | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

Don't Let Your Hair Down. Don't Go To The Ball. Don't Visit Grandma.

Plot:

An alliance of evil-doers, led by Frieda, looks to take over Fairy Tale Land. But when Ella realizes her stepmother is out to ruin her storybook existence, she takes a dramatic turn and blossoms into the leader of the resistance effort.

Plot Keywords:

Cinderella | Princess | Based On Fairy Tale | Computer Animation | Rapunzel

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

George Carlin	...	The Wizard (voice)
John Di Maggio	...	Dwarf 1 / Dwarf 2 / Giant (voice) (as John De Maggio)
Andy Dick	...	Mambo (voice)
Sarah Michelle Gellar	...	Ella (voice)
Lisa Kaplan	...	Fairy Godmother (voice)
Jill Talley	...	Stepsister 2 / Witch 2 / Baby's Mother (voice) (as Jill Talley Kenny)
Tom Kenny	...	Amigo 3 / Dwarf 3 / Messenger / Wolf 2 (voice) (as Tom J. Kenny)
Tress MacNeille	...	Witch 1 (voice) (as Tress Mac Neille)
Michael McShane	...	Rumplestiltskin (voice)
Rob Paulsen	...	Amigo 2 (voice) (as Robert F. Paulsen III)
Jon Polito	...	Wolf 1 (voice) (as John Polito)
Freddie Prinze Jr.	...	Rick (voice)
Phil Proctor	...	Amigo 1 (voice) (as Philip G. Proctor)
Wallace Shawn	...	Munk (voice)
Kath Soucie	...	Stepsister 1 / Baby / Red Riding Hood (voice) (as Kath E. Soucie)

Also Known As:

Es war k'einmal im Märchenland (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated PG for some mild action and rude humor.

Runtime:

75 min | USA:87 min | 66 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital EX

Certification:

USA:PG | Singapore:G | Hong Kong:I | Netherlands:6 | Argentina:Atp | Ireland:G | Portugal:M/6 | Germany:o.Al. | Peru:PT | South Korea:All | New Zealand:G | Finland:K-7 | Sweden:7 | Australia:G

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

BAF Berlin Animation Film

Trivia:

Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr., recorded many of their scenes in the same studio, which is rare for full length animated films.

Quotes:

Munk: Cinderella, going to the ball... again.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs The Wizard of Oz (1939)

Soundtrack:

Happy Doesn't Have to Have an Ending

Great plan, just wasn't quite carried out...

I looked forward to this movie, having been pleasantly surprised by other fractured fairy tales such as "Shrek" and even "Hoodwinked", and I really wanted to like this one a lot, but as it was, I only like it a little.

Here's the lowdown: Cinderella, or Ella, as friends call her (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is taken with the charming but clueless Prince Humperdink (Patrick Warburton), but in the classic fashion of the fairy tale we all know, stepmother Frieda (Sigourney Weaver) has other ideas--when she stumbles upon the lab of a powerful wizard (George Carlin) and runs afoul of his hapless assistants, Mambo and Munk (Andy Dick and Wallace Shawn, respectively) she learns that everyone's fate in Fairy Tale Land is pre-written, can be manipulated, and proceeds to do so. She garners the support of just about every fairy tale villain in a regular coup, Forcing Ella, Mambo, Munk, and cynical palace dishwasher Rick (Freddie Prinze Jr.) to search for the Prince, or some way out of the mess.

This film looks terrific--the visuals of Fairy Tale land are quite stunning, and the character design, along with capable voicing, makes the characters memorable. Even the idea is juicy, and leads to other interesting notions, such as the view of Rumplestiltskin (Michael McShane channeling Gilbert Gottfried) as a concerned guardian. The problem--and it's a big one--is that they all deserve a better executed, better timed story. The plot, while intriguing in concept, drags in too many places, and there just feels like a few too many holes are left here and there. The disjointed use of the talent is somewhat evident as well; I'm somewhat used to guys like Warburton, Shawn, and Andy Dick getting the great lines, and Dick does get some good ones, but most of the good lines are divided between Prinze and Weaver. Oh, they handle them effectively enough, but the uneven feel loses punch for the whole production. So technically, it's excellent, but overall, it's mediocre. You should really wait for DVD on this one...