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Based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Soman Chainani, the new Netflix film The School of Good and Evil premiered on the platform on October 19, 2022.
There was a time when young-adult novels were a gold mine for filmmakers looking to make a big profit while delivering some binge-worthy fantasy content. Years from now, this does not appear to be the best idea, at least not in this case.
This new fantasy film, coming from the experienced mind of Paul Feig, the man behind Freaks and Geeks, was an amalgamation of many things we've seen before in movies ranging from Harry Potter to Percy Jackson, to the point where it's almost surprising that a film with a runtime of more than two hours has nothing new to offer. Despite an intriguing premise and a cast that includes Charlize Theron and Kerry Washington, the film's lack of conviction is almost too obvious for it to succeed.
Unless you're a fantasy fan who doesn't want to rewatch a Harry Potter film or dive back into Tolkein's world, this will suffice for the time being. For anyone with no particular love for the genre, this would be a complete waste of time.
Read on for a detailed review of The School of Good and Evil.
The School of Good and Evil review: Good ol' battles and predictable turns drag the Netflix film down
The School of Good and Evil is not a total waste of time. However, due to its predictability and lack of originality, it is only a mediocre watch at best.
The film revolves around two friends, Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso) and Agatha (Sofia Wylie), who are both misfits in their own ways, and has many interesting takes on the concept of good and evil. But even that aspect goes unexplored in the lengthy film, which prefers gimmicks to plot materials.
After getting their Hogwarts letter of sorts, the two friends are taken to the School of Good and Evil, an institution that appears to carve out the heroes and villains of the well-known fairytales. Sophie, who aspired to be a good fairy, is assigned to the Evil school, while her friend is forced to train as a fairy. If the film had delved deeper into the crisis, it would have a better chance of succeeding, but it doesn't.
The film's middle section is filled with many extra sequences, which weakens rather than strengthens the character graphs. There are some interesting characters who could have helped make it more interesting (Captain Hook's son, for example).
As the film neared its conclusion, with dark wizard secrets, moral corruption, and an evil plot to destroy the 'good' for good, it all became increasingly predictable. The plot is simply not thick enough in this overcrowded genre to surprise fans.
Though the film is not terrible in any sense, it has too few redeeming factors and is overall a hit-and-miss.
The School of Good and Evil is now streaming on Netflix.
