I almost didn’t watch Spellbound on Netflix, because it got such bad ratings on imdb (5.5) and Rotten Tomatoes (48%, 47%). But I did and I have to say: It’s actually pretty good! It’s very funny and imaginative and has something to say.

Sure, it’s not perfect. It didn’t have me on the edge of my seat the whole time and the songs didn’t stay with me much after, but it honestly doesn’t deserve these ratings! I mean it’s a kids movie and it fully engaged the kid and had me and my girlfriend not only laughing out loud, but we all shed some tears in the final act end. It’s a fine movie, definitely worth a watch with the family.

I’m really struggling to understand why it is rated so badly. I wouldn’t say it is as good as K-Pop Demon Hunters (7.7 on imdb, 97% + 91% on Rotten Tomatoes) but I’d still give it a solid 7 or 80%. I mean we watched the feature-length episode 1 of Unicorn Academy and that was actually dreadful and still got 6.6 on imdb! I guess that’s a bad comparison, though, because I expect it was just seen by way less people who rate movies.

Is it the embracing of non-traditional family structures that it caught the ire of the anti-woke folks? Is it just the unfavorably comparisons with simply way better similar movies by Pixar and Disney?

Has anyone seen it and can tell me their thoughts on it? I can’t be the only one!

Edit: Going by the many 1 star ratings on imdb, the issue seems to be the message that sometimes divorce is okay 🙄