The garish German TV spin-off combines live action and animation, but its babyish tone sets the bar too low for its preteen audience
Based on a German children’s TV series, this feature-length spin-off dutifully trots out the fantasy tropes – quest narrative, chosen-one hero, multicoloured unicorns aplenty – but doesn’t really pluck anything compelling out of this otherworldly brew. Its Narnian land of Centopia, accessed by protagonist Mia (Margot Nuccetelli) through a magical book and bracelet gifted to her by her deceased mum, is depicted in garish and ornate animation by director Adam Gunn. But its vacant-eyed elf inhabitants sum up the general lack of personality.
Chilling out with her grandad (David Willetts) at his lakeside pad, Mia is summoned to Centopia just as megalomaniac toad Toxor (voiced by Paul Davies) is menacing the realm once again. Spewing forth malignant smoke that transforms the local elves into subservient “groundlings”, he...
Based on a German children’s TV series, this feature-length spin-off dutifully trots out the fantasy tropes – quest narrative, chosen-one hero, multicoloured unicorns aplenty – but doesn’t really pluck anything compelling out of this otherworldly brew. Its Narnian land of Centopia, accessed by protagonist Mia (Margot Nuccetelli) through a magical book and bracelet gifted to her by her deceased mum, is depicted in garish and ornate animation by director Adam Gunn. But its vacant-eyed elf inhabitants sum up the general lack of personality.
Chilling out with her grandad (David Willetts) at his lakeside pad, Mia is summoned to Centopia just as megalomaniac toad Toxor (voiced by Paul Davies) is menacing the realm once again. Spewing forth malignant smoke that transforms the local elves into subservient “groundlings”, he...
- 10/17/2022
- by Phil Hoad
- The Guardian - Film News
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