Carl Roberts 
“With a brilliant modern twist on a well-trodden story, Rebellious provides great entertainment for children and adults alike.”
The new animated movie from Magic Frame Animation, Rebellious, is about to drop onto cinema screens. The movie comes our way courtesy of Dazzler Media. It is a fun, modern and contemporary take on a well-trodden story that has been seen countless times before. However, with this bold new direction, the movie comes across as something fresh and original. Featuring some great animation and lots of hilarity to boot, the film is the perfect family movie to see at the cinema. Featuring some amazing visuals, music and truly loveable characters, it should, by rights, become a family favourite and a go-to movie to keep the little ones entertained. In this modern twist on a classic fairy tale, a headstrong princess is stolen by an evil sorcerer. Her scholarly fiancé must use his wits in an epic quest to find her while she boldly challenges her captors and plots a daring escape.
PREMISE
Mina is a young princess with a rebel spirit, who plans to defy her father and break tradition by choosing her own husband. She plans to marry Ronan, a kind-hearted local man, but hardly the hero figure her father would want. Before they can marry, an evil sorcerer sends a dragon to kidnap Mina and keep her imprisoned for himself. Desperate to get his daughter back, the king declares that whoever rescues Mina will win her hand in marriage.
Enticed by the keys to the kingdom, three suitors step forward. Now faced with losing his true love, Ronan, who has never seen battle, sets out on a perilous quest to rescue the princess. Venturing into mystical forests and dangerous dungeons, facing giants, dragons and other mysterious creatures, Mina and Ronan vow to find their way back to each other.
THOUGHTS
Ok, so we have seen this kind of thing before. Princess gets taken, the reluctant hero steps up to rescue her, and they all live happily ever after. You know the drill by now. It is a story you see countless times in a Disney or Dreamworks movie. Or in one of the cheap and cheerful animated movies that hit home entertainment on a regular basis. You’d think you’d have seen it all before and know what the film entails. You’d be wrong. Rebellious is a wonderfully fun, modern and highly enjoyable take on the source material, that rare breed of film that has the capacity to amaze and to take you by surprise.
MINA
Take the character of Mina for example. You’d expect her to have some strength inside her to offset the fear she feels. Not so much here. Her character is a great example of a modern woman. Fierce, independent, and not someone to take likely or at face value. She isn’t your typical damsel in distress. In fact, she doesn’t feel she’s in distress at all. Here, the audience is presented with a delightfully fleshed-out character, one that young girls can relate to. One minute, staring into the eyes of her beloved, the next outwitting her captors at almost every turn. Several sequences will have the audience laughing out loud at what she gets up to and accomplishes. Her interactions with the main villain of the piece are hilarious.
KEZABOR
Speaking of the main villain, Kezabor, you’d be expecting to see some big, beefy, nasty piece of work behind everything. In a neat twist, he is anything but. He is a squirrelly little weasel who throws childish tantrums. Someone who gets slapped in the face at almost every turn. Wielding magic, he thinks he can win over Mina, making him the one she will marry. Yeah, right. He is so comedic and unthreatening, that it makes for some truly hilarious moments throughout. However, his actions bring several relevant issues to the table.
RONAN
The character of Ronan, although the dashing hero of the piece, isn’t really needed to save the princess. Starting off as the love interest, he slowly grows into his role as the rescuer, the hero who saves the day and defeats all evil. But in this fairy tale, he is more prone to showing humility and thinking through his actions before committing to any course of action itself. Of course, by the climax, he comes into his own, proving himself worthy of the keys to the kingdom and defeating his main rival. But as we follow his journey, we see more to the character than we would expect. This makes the film more enjoyable, and more heartfelt than we would normally be susceptible to.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERIORATION
One of the most involving aspects of the screenplay and the film itself is the subject of environmental deterioration. Kezabor doesn’t care for the natural resources that encompass his land. He destroys nature and the environment as he pleases, without any pause for thought or reflection. Ronan saves Bjorn and Fa Chan, the last of the speaking bears, making them his allies. This part of the story brings to light the destruction of the natural world and the threat of extinction of the species that encompass it. During the film, Ronan and the bears tear down a dam that Kezabor has constructed. By doing this, he has attempted to obliterate life in the valley, drying up the land and restricting the natural resources. In a way, this replicates the threat of consumerism that we face on a daily basis. It is a welcome addition to the film, one that has us thinking while enjoying the spectacle on screen.
VERDICT
With a brilliant modern twist on a well-trodden story, Rebellious provides great entertainment for children and adults alike. It is a wonderfully engaging and fresh take on the material at hand. By making the princess a strong-willed, strong-minded, independent female character, it drags the material into the modern age. Mina is a character that young girls can look up to, learn from and gain strength from. In comparison, adults can take the environmental message to heart. While it’s not an in-your-face message or forced down our throats, it is a meaningful addition, one that is extremely welcome.
Of course, we know how it’s going to end. But it is the journey of getting there that provides the fun. It also features a lot of heart throughout. Two characters don’t live to see the end credits, one good, one evil. But even here, there is a backstory between them that makes their demise all the more profound. Instead of feeling sad that they pass on, we get a feeling of genuine warmth, and a sense of satisfaction when it happens. It isn’t big and heavy, it is quiet and meaningful, with a lasting impression that lives long in the mind after we exit the cinema. It also provides a terrific visual that fits in with the environmental message that the film subtly contains.
All in all, the film is a triumph, something that takes us by surprise at times and doesn’t fail to entertain. It is rebellious by name and by nature. And provides a welcome distraction throughout. Book your seats, sit back and be entertained and enthralled with everything the film contains. Trust me, it’s worth it.
Rebellious will be in cinemas on October 25th, courtesy of Dazzler Media.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
