Netflix’s fantasy school film twists minds
“The School for Good and Evil,” based on the first book of Soman Chainani’s six-book series, tells the tale of two misfit friends who get swept away into a fantastical world beyond the Endless Woods.
In the Netflix movie, Sophie and Agatha find themselves enrolled in the School for Good and Evil, which is where the origins of fables and fairytales are revealed. The two girls, who are on opposite sides of a truly epic, supernatural battle, try to find their happy endings along the road with enchanting twists and magical turns.
The Netflix film focuses on quite different and opposite friends who watch out for one another in a harsh, fantasy land. Sophia Anne Caruso portrays Sophie, a young woman with Cinderella-like aspirations. Agatha, played by Sofia Wylie, is assumed to be a witch since she resides in a home tucked away in the woodland, where she mixes potions and wears Witch-like attire. The friends develop a lighthearted bond early in the movie, and Cate Blanchett’s narration only adds to it.
One day, a giant bird swoops in and scoops the girls up, carrying them off to The School for Good and Evil, two adjacent castles connected by a bridge where the next generation of magical youth learns to refine their supernatural abilities. This balance was long established by a pair of brothers, as was shown in the movie’s preamble; this magical institution makes sure that no side can completely win.
Sophie believes that Agatha will travel to the mysterious, dark building, while she will end up at the more pleasant, bright school. However, when the bird drops Sophie on the evil side and Agatha on the good side, they believe there must have been an error and struggle to switch places. Their genuine selves, which had been hidden behind the hairstyles, outfits, and labels society had given them, quickly become apparent. This brings an interesting idea to the table and is a great opportunity to learn about the insidious power of prejudice.
Even though I read the book series many years ago, I still enjoyed watching the movie, as it felt like a refresher of everything I read. For a slightly cheesy fantasy movie produced by Netflix, the CGI, special effects, acting, and all other production elements were really whole-hearted and definitely surpassed my expectations.
Though the movie does feel like a non-stop piece of fantasy action, the whole cast and crew really made the characters come to life from the book series.
