My four-year-old daughter has been watching this over and over, and has drawn crowns on her shoulders to match Princess Annalise's crown-shaped birthmark.
The animation looks like cut-scenes from a video game, rather than the quality you'd expect from an animated movie. But it perfectly hits the expectations of its target audience: it's pretty, engaging, colorful and clean.
The characters are one-dimensional stereotypes, but the title characters (both 'played' by Barbie) are actually quite likable.
Princess Annalise is a geek (a pretty geek, but still a geek), has the hots for her impoverished tutor rather than her intended kingly husband, and ends up saving the kingdom with her geological talents and business acumen (really!).
The Pauper, Erika, is cheeky, goofy, and independent. She might have a king falling in love with her, but she's got her own dreams that don't necessarily coincide with his, and she's going to be true to herself first.
The songs are nothing startling. They're pleasant, joyful, sometimes a little bit silly, and sung well.
There are simple, clear girl-power messages throughout this film. I'd much rather my daughter be indoctrinated by this than by stories where the beautiful, vapid princess marries the handsome prince and nothing else actually happens.
The animation looks like cut-scenes from a video game, rather than the quality you'd expect from an animated movie. But it perfectly hits the expectations of its target audience: it's pretty, engaging, colorful and clean.
The characters are one-dimensional stereotypes, but the title characters (both 'played' by Barbie) are actually quite likable.
Princess Annalise is a geek (a pretty geek, but still a geek), has the hots for her impoverished tutor rather than her intended kingly husband, and ends up saving the kingdom with her geological talents and business acumen (really!).
The Pauper, Erika, is cheeky, goofy, and independent. She might have a king falling in love with her, but she's got her own dreams that don't necessarily coincide with his, and she's going to be true to herself first.
The songs are nothing startling. They're pleasant, joyful, sometimes a little bit silly, and sung well.
There are simple, clear girl-power messages throughout this film. I'd much rather my daughter be indoctrinated by this than by stories where the beautiful, vapid princess marries the handsome prince and nothing else actually happens.