The New York Times Review | Spilling a Love Potion on a Fairy Princess

Gary Rydstrom’s ‘Strange Magic,’ From a George Lucas Story

By Ben Kenigsberg, January 22, 2015

Strange Magic, 2015

“Strange Magic,” directed by the Oscar-winning sound designer Gary Rydstrom from a story by George Lucas, is set in a world of fairies, elves and goblins. The fluid digital animation tickles the eye with a sea of periwinkle, pockmarked creatures and diaphanous, detailed wings.

Whether the movie dazzles the ear is another matter. “Strange Magic” employs a parade of pop-music covers to do its screenplay’s heavy lifting. Said to be inspired by “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the film plays more like “Avatar” scored to a karaoke competition.

When the feisty fairy-princess heroine, Marianne (the voice of Evan Rachel Wood), catches her betrothed, Roland (Sam Palladio), cheating on her, she vows, to the strains of Burt Bacharach, that she will never fall in love again.

The song choices, which collapse periods and are credited to the “Moulin Rouge!” music director Marius de Vries, are mostly distractions. Marianne’s confrontation with Roland merges the Four Seasons’ “C’mon Marianne” with Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).” Sunny (Elijah Kelley), an elf, obtains a love potion from the Sugar Plum Fairy (Kristin Chenoweth). Doused with the potion, Marianne’s sister (Meredith Anne Bull) belts “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” for the Bog King (Alan Cumming).

Viewers may relate to the ersatz emotion. At once disarming and calculated, “Strange Magic” is a film of commodified feelings, evoking memories of other experiences — whether of Shakespeare, the original songs or authentic enchantment.

Read the full review at The New York Times official site.