Swan Princess Silliness

One of my favourite movies as a kid was The Swan Princess - an animated movie loosely based on the Swan Lake ballet. I was excited when I saw the Netflix had it available to stream instantly, and turned it on for Fiona. She seems to really love it, but I'm a bit disillusioned with it now.

Derek and Odette are told from a very young age that they're going to be married when they grow up. The years pass and each summer is spent together, and it's clear that they can't stand each other. Part of that is obviously because they're just kids, and kids squabble. They grow up, and they're being pushed together for yet another summer together...but now Derek is a strapping young man, and Odette is a gorgeous woman. Their eyes meet across the room, and suddenly they're in love. They waltz around and sing about how they love each other, and end the song with a kiss. Derek announces to the room of people creepily watching them kiss, that they are to arrange the wedding. Everybody cheers except Odette, who brings the celebrations to a crashing halt by telling Derek to hold his horses.

                      Derek: What? You're all I ever wanted,  you're beautiful!
                      Odette: Thank you. But what else?
                      Derek: What else?
                      Odette: Is beauty all that matters to you?
                      Derek: What else is there?

Oops. Now, obviously that was a dumb thing to say. No woman wants to hear that. However, in the context of this movie, Derek kind of has a point. The only thing that has changed for them is that suddenly Odette is beautiful. For the rest of the movie, Odette seems one dimensional. There is nothing more to her than her beauty and "love" for Derek. It's all a little ridiculous. It just supports the fact even more that beautiful women don't need personalities. Odette is captured by the evil sorcerer named Rothbart. He wishes to marry Odette so he can have control over her dead father's kingdom. Odette refuses, claiming she loves Derek. I can believe that she loved him, since she grew up with him, but that doesn't mean she should forgive him right away.

Eventually, Derek finds Odette in Rothbart's lair. She seems so happy to seem him that she forgets what he said to her. I'm not one to hold grudges, but I am a stickler for unresolved conflicts. It's not even mentioned, "Odette, I'm sorry. You are very beautiful but also smart, caring, blah, blah, blah." ANYTHING would have been better than nothing. Instead, it's never mentioned again.

Also, what's with the bad guys giving easy outs to their spells? Doesn't it occur to Rothbart that her "beloved" will probably come looking for her? And most likely find her? Then why on earth would he allow the enchantment to be broken by a kiss and a vow of love? Why not just kidnap her and that's that. No way out. Then in the end, Rothbart says he'll allow Odette to live if Derek defeats him. Well, that's stupid. Where's the benefit in that for Rothbart?

There are quite a few little issues I have with this movie, so clearly it doesn't hold up to adult viewing. But Fiona is enjoying it, so I guess that's what matters.