The Rise Of Red falls flat

Proving that for IP-driven corporate thinking, there’s always life after death, The Descendants saga returns, albeit without most of its principal cast, ironically except for the principals of Auradon prep itself. Descendants: The Rise of Red, directed by Jennifer Phang, introduces us to the hitherto unmentioned Auradon-adjacent kingdom of Wonderland, wherein resides Red (Kylie Cantrall), the rebellious daughter of the cruel Queen of Hearts (Rita Ora).

Taking over as principal of Auradon Prep from Fairy Godmother (Melanie Paxson), at the request of the absent Queen Mal (off with King Ben, Evie and Jay on a mission to establish alliances with other kingdoms, aka set up other spin-offs), Uma (China Anne McClain) decides to extend an invitation to Red, and bring down the barrier between the two kingdoms (just how many other kingdoms did Beast and Belle imprison anyway?) But the Queen Of Hearts takes this olive branch and turns it into spear, orchestrating a coup that somehow gives her control of the entire kingdom by taking over a school’s orientation day. The only way to undo this is for Red and Chloe (Malia Baker), daughter of Cinderella (Brandy) and Prince Charming (Paulo Montalban) to use the White Rabbit’s stopwatch to travel back in time to find out why Red’s mother became such a tyrant.

For a franchise which has never laid a strong claim to being B-list, shorn of its original cast, Descendants: The Rise Of Red feels decidedly D-list, as Disney scrapes the bottom of its barrel for properties it can strip-mine. Although it’s understandable that Dove Cameron, Sofia Carson and Booboo Stewart might not want to return following the tragic death of castmate Cameron Boyce (whose character gets an emotional mention and a wholly undignified and unexplained off-screen death), that doesn’t mean that The Rise Of Red needed to be this threadbare in its visit to its own past. A trip back in time to the beginnings of Auradon could have seen young version of many of the main characters but instead we get a few young villains (Maleficent being reduced to a mere lackey feels particularly egregious) in service of a completely made-up villain, Ursula’s younger sister. The story is weak even by previous instalment’s standards, convoluted and shallow. The chemistry between Red and Chloe, which should anchor the film, is tenuous at best and their partnership, more of convenience than genuine camaraderie, lacks the emotional resonance needed to carry a plot of this thinness.

Despite her absence, Dove Cameron’s Mal casts a long shadow, and though Cantrall and Reneé strive to fill the void, their characters are underdeveloped and their performances stilted. Red’s rebellious spirit and Chloe’s principled nature clash, but rather than creating sparks, the interaction fizzles. The film’s dialogue, heavy with exposition and light on wit, does little to endear us to these new leads.

Musically, The Rise of Red hits all the wrong notes. The songs, though sprinkled with catchy rhythms, lack the infectious charm and variety of earlier hits and you often feel like you’re listening to a series of reprises and remixes of the same two songs over and over again. Overproduced and auto-tuned to oblivion, they blend into a forgettable background noise rather than standing out as highlights. The choreography and direction miss the innovative and experienced flair of Kenny Ortega’s touch, leaving dance sequences feeling repetitive and uninspired and the action a pale imitation of itself.

Jennifer Phang maintains the franchise’s trademark candy-coloured Hot Topic vibrancy, but the once-charming eclectic aesthetic now feels more like a patchwork quilt of clichés. Auradon has never felt smaller and nothing has the depth and detail that might make these worlds feel lived-in and believable, something the previous movies actually managed to do quite well but it’s only in its absence you realise that.

The film’s attempt to weave a moral about unity and understanding through its narrative is laudable yet ham-fisted, especially in this American election year it doesn’t feel accidental that the two protagonists are red and blue, uniting together to prevent the illegitimate takeover of the very, very red Queen Of Hearts who aims to Make Auradon Great Again. The script’s messages about inclusivity and cruelty begetting cruelty come across as didactic and exculpatory rather than heartfelt and earned, making the film feel more like a pamphlet on niceness than an engaging narrative.

In the end, Descendants: The Rise of Red will no doubt please its loyal core audience but it fails to recapture what little magic and charm this franchise had. It may still hold some appeal for younger viewers, and will no doubt shift the requisite amount of toys and merchandise but it all feels entirely cynical now.

descendants the rise of red review
Score 2/10
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