Versions of the Cinderella story exist in cultures around the world (a fact I only discovered when I wrote a college paper on this fact, hence the inspiration for the Disney version), and almost every version ends up the same way. Happens: A less common one is thrown to marry the emperor on the grounds of getting his attention in one way or another. The enormity of this particular tale of family fights, unjust oppression and joy-seeking doesn't dampen our obsession with it, even from the ever-evolving views of society we may (or may not) appreciate it. All this to say, Canon had his work cut out for him from the get-go, if his goal was, as it seems, to redefine fable for a contemporary, #MeToo moment story-makers. As permanent as it is while maintaining fairy tale elements. The resulting film, something like (but not quite) a jukebox musical; Some cry (but not quite) like a feminist rally; Something (but not quite) like a slapstick comedy instead has an emotional tone and a jumble of minor characters, all of whom have the potential to steal the show but none of them do.
Our Cinderella this time is Camila Caballo, a global pop star in her own right who has acted in movies between stadium tours. Perhaps she brings pride and confidence to performances where she has an entire stage at her disposal, lots of pyrotechnics and costume changes and a crowd of thousands cheering her on. Here, she's woefully out of place as a mushy Cinderella with zero charisma who dreams of making and selling her own clothes, building a "girlboss" empire in which to rely on a man for none. without. This Cinderella is sent to the family dungeon, though her "evil" stepmother (who is actually her. She was just an orphan when she died, left behind by her father, so apparently didn't bother her) can go.
Meanwhile, at the palace, King Rowan (Pierce Brosnan) and Queen Beatrice (Minnie Driver) try their best to convince their son, Prince Robert (Nicholas Galitzin), what it really means to inherit the throne and be a good match. What is the importance of making in marriage? While he is moaning and moaning about how difficult his life is, Sister Gwen (Tallulah Greave) sticks her head out now and then with her own progressive ideas about how to develop the kingdom. . Perhaps the most interesting part of the canon's re-imagining of the story, Gwen is the most underdeveloped part in the entire film; Her role is crucial in the eventual happy ending Cannon concocted, but the young girls (and audiences everywhere) already love the story instead leave behind a new, modern heroine while Cinderella takes her ball/slippers. /speaks of the prince, instead the princess is nothing more than a running gag the whole time. It's a disappointing choice, hanging on because it contemplates some real ingenuity in this age-old story, but canon never seems to commit to it, and nothing less.
There's more to be annoyed with in this adaptation (please, don't even get me started about rats and their "front tails"), but suffice it to say that all the updating cannon is trying here. Instead, he may have a singular vision for a story so heavily muddled that it's impossible to see any of it clearly. In the film's final act, as Cinderella and Prince try to find a way to be together—the heroine doesn't want to give up on her dream of making clothes, at least—she really understands the meaning of "happily after". There is such an ability to change again. Cinderella that the way this is all eventually resolved is even more depressing. Although she more closely followed the story's traditional narrative, its heroine's happiness appears to depend on marrying the prince, Kenneth Branagh's 2015 version at least gives the woman a past, a history, an emotional depth to Cinderella. Which ultimately drives his decisions and priorities. I probably wouldn't make the same choices she does, but I can at least understand why she's on the path she's on. Nowhere in Canon's take is there such a depth as trying to modernize the narrative. And he eventually makes this attempt to do a ridiculous disaster.