The highly anticipated film,The School for Good and Evil,premiered on Netflix on October 19 and has since been the subject of numerous criticisms. With the exceptional cast and the promotional material establishing a high standard for the film, it was a surprise when websites rated the movie poorly. Critical reviews have suggested the film was arip-off ofHarry Potterand Disney’sDescendants. However, not everyone shares this sentiment, and audience ratings have been much kinder to the film. Many viewers have praised the film as a great adaptation of the book series by the same name written by Soman Chainani.
Despite the harsh reviews of critics, the film was well-watched and held a spot in Netflix’s top ten list upon release. Here, we’d like to take a look at both the complaints and compliments of the film and assess the overall opinion of the film. And from that, determine how successful the movie was or if it completely flopped. This, of course, could determine if Netflix willproceed with a sequel. Director Paul Feig expressed the desire for this to become a franchise, but how well-received the movie was might affect the future ofThe School for Good and Evil.
What Do the Critics Say?
Critics seem to agree thatThe School for Good and Evilacquired an impressive and talented cast. With notable actorssuch as Charlize Theron, Kerry Washington, Michelle Yeoh, and Cate Blanchette as the narrator. Despite the quality of the cast, it is not the film’s acting that critics are bashing but rather the underutilization of the A-list cast members. Other such actors that were in the movie but barely received any screen time were Rachel Bloom and Rob Delany. Many have said the film isn’t worthy of the cast it obtained, and this project was beneath such actors.
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Another major criticism is the overall storyline. It’s been called unoriginal and lackluster, leaving much to be desired. Just another worn-out story about misfit teens and a magical world being threatened by a corrupt dark wizard. With its typical YA tropes, the fairytale setting, and a hidden magical world, many critics have drawn parallels betweenThe School for Good and Eviland successful franchises. But not in a complimentary sense. Instead, calling it a tired knock-off trying to pass itself off as franchise material.
While the aforementioned complaints are the main ones, the film has also been called out for having a poorly written script, being campy and cheesy, and having bad CGI. In essence, critics have suggested the film was a failed attempt at being something greater than it was capable of delivering.
What The School for Good and Evil Did Right
Critics are not the only ones with something to say about the movie. Viewers have also taken to social media to voice their opinions about the film. And overall, the audience is much kinder to the film, and viewer-based ratings are considerably higher than the ratings of critics. Compliments of the film include the story centering around the friendship of two female protagonists. Further breaking down the traditional romantic love of fairytales being the strongest and most powerful force.
Although we have seen this trope before, it remains a refreshing pace change from the traditional fairytaleprince and princess love story. Instead, we see two outcasts who are very different come together in friendship, and although their bond is tried and tested, in the end, they choose each other. Modern audiences are more inclined towards the breaking down of old stereotypes that this film achieves.
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What critics call campy and cheesy writing, the audience calls intentional for the plot of the film. One of the main issues to overcome in the movie is the shallowness and vanity of the fairytale version of “good” and “evil,” which may come across as campy to emphasize the ridiculousness of it. Agatha especially seeks to defeat this black-and-white mindset of heroes and villains and recognize that we all have the potential for both. Viewers have also praised the movie as an excellent book series adaptation.
Will the Film Get a Sequel?
With opinions so mixed, the future of the film will be determined by Netflix. Whether they believe the film has the potential to be something great despite the poorcritical reception. The viewings within the first 30 days of release will also be a factor in Netflix’s decision.
According to the top 10 list,The School for Good and Evilranked first during the week of October 17-23 based on the number of hours viewed. We have yet to see the stats for the following week, but how well the film performs based on viewers will be the best way to determine if there is indeed a future for this to become a franchise.
That being said, however, critic opinion is not to be overlooked, and perhaps if the film does get the green light to proceed with a sequel, adjustments will be made to increase the quality to the level expected by critics. While the movie perhaps was a flop according to the critics, the audience says differently. If Netflix determines a sequel is worth the investment, it may still have the potential to become a franchise, and its success will speak for itself. But only time will tell.
