First glance at the film poster and title reminded me of the Harry Potter series and Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry which I enjoyed. I have always loved fantasy tales, whether in books or films. Also, seeing popular actresses, Charlize Theron and Kerry Washington, it became a must-watch for me!
We grew up with the belief that there's light and dark, good and evil and the world is filled with heroes and villains. Not only that belief but we see these concepts play themselves out in our lives and relationships. So the title of this film begs the intriguing question: what message does Netflix and the cast want to convey to their audience?
The School for Good and Evil (2022) is a fantasy adventure and adaptation of the book series by Soman Chainani. It's about two best friends, Sophie and Agatha, who live in a town called Gavaldon. Sophie is Cinderella kind of girl —unloved by her stepmother and made to do the housework. But she desires more out of life and this includes leaving the poor town.
*[Source: YouTube](https://youtu.be/aftysDQ4hpI)*Agatha on the other hand is bullied by the townspeople and called a witch. Sophie always comes to her rescue and they both love each other. Their lives change when they visit their local bookstore, see a book signed by SGE (School for Good and Evil) and Sophie decides she wants to go there.
In an attempt to run away to the mythical school, Agatha sets out to save Sophie. But they are magically transported to the school where their destinies unfurl and they face their true selves.
Review
No doubt this film is charming, bringing to life some of the popular fairy tales we loved as children and providing some explanations and backstories for them. They make viewers question the distinction between good and evil; and whether or not we can be heroes at one time and villains at other times.
The special effects and cinematography were not bad but they could be better. I saw the swordplay and fight scenes as childish and wished they had put in more effort to make those scenes real. Even some of the magic displays were a bit shabby. They would do well to take one or two cues from Hogwarts School.
One thing I would commend the film for is its costumes. They are immaculate and medieval and brought the plots to life.
The Cast
Regarding cast performances, I'll say they were not bad. I applaud Sofia Wylie's acting as Agatha and it's my first time watching a film of hers. She's appealing and quite charismatic. Her role as one of the main actors was fitting.
Charlize Theron, Kerry Washington, Michelle Yeoh and Laurence Fishburne are not new to the game and their performances were topnotch. I wouldn't expect anything less. But the performance of Sophia Anne Caruso as Sophie and other supporting actors like the other students and the prince was mediocre. Somehow I wished someone else had played the part of Sophie. She seemed unsure of herself and her villainess was not obvious.
Overall, The School for Good and Evil is interesting and watch-worthy but it can be better. It's a kind of film that deserves top-notch and realistic acting and cinematography, similar to high fantasy films like Harry Potter, LOTR or Game Of Thrones. Still, I enjoyed it and rate it 3.9 stars out of 5.
It's Halloween and this film is fitting for all fantasy lovers. The way the film ended, I believe a sequel may be in the works. Fingers crossed, I'm hoping it will be a great improvement to this film.
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Images are screenshots from the movie and the cover is edited with Canva
