The New Cartoon Made by Skydance Animation Has Infuriated Conservatives for Its Theme
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| Image Credit: Netflix |
Spellbound, the new animated film by Skydance Animation, distributed worldwide by Netflix, has ended up in the crosshairs of a new online controversy due to its "controversial" theme. The children's film, directed by Shrek co-director Vicky Jenson, has in fact attracted criticism from some conservative American families due to its decision to deal with the theme of divorce. WARNING: Spoilers for the film! The film follows the adventures of Princess Ellian, heir to the throne of the magical country of Lumbria, who tries to lift a curse that has fallen on her parents, King Solon and Queen Ellesmere.
The two have been transformed into two large and funny monsters, and no longer remember anything about their past or their daughter. As the story unfolds, Ellian discovers that the spell was cast by their constant arguments. And so the parents, once they regained their memories, decide to divorce for the good of the family. Despite the suffering, the girl finally accepts their choice, knowing that the love they feel for her will never change. The film clearly uses the metaphor of transformation into a monster to help the little ones process the trauma of a delicate moment like that of their parent's separation.
But this choice did not please everyone, judging by the comments on the main online aggregators, which are along the lines of: "a stupid ploy to normalize divorce in the eyes of children. Don't normalize it. It's not normal". And, apparently, the controversy has even reached the director of the new Netflix film, who in recent days has released an official statement to explain the reasons behind the theme. "It's absurd. In animated films, you can kill the parents, but never let them leave each other," Vicky Jenson retorted. Even at the studio, there was always a certain nervousness about the ending of our story."
Despite criticism from some conservatives and traditionalists, Jenson defended Spellbound's conclusion with all his might: "Staying true to the original idea was really important to us. We didn't want to do a Parent Trap thing, we wanted a realistic portrayal of the impact that divorce has on families. Ellian doesn't know why her parents were turned into monsters and she feels like she has to fix everything. Like her, a lot of kids feel like it's their fault or they have to fix things. But if there's love, there's still family, even if you don't all live together anymore. None of us wanted to change this ending, but it was very difficult to find someone to bring it to the public. It's great that Netflix finally found the courage to release it and that finally the public can now see it."
Source: MovieWeb
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