Wonderwell

I don't understand what people are liking about this film. Nothing made sense, it didn't seem to flow all that well, and found myself wondering what the hell did I just watch? Nothing was explained in any way, shape, or form, so you're left guessing about every single aspect of the movie... And not in a good way.

The whole time you're watching waiting for a shoe to drop wondering if this is the scene where it starts to make sense and sure enough, it doesn't. Then finally the happy ending arrives and you're wondering what the hell just happened.

There were beautiful aspects to the film and visually it was nice to watch.

It's like Adam Sandler tried to do a Traffic sequel The careless treatment of trauma and female puberty makes me think that Carrie Fisher didn't have the whole script before she signed on. She is the only reason we started the movie at all.

It's confusing, and I feel such compassion for the young actors in this movie. They could have been good, the script, direction and cinematography is what's bad. The dad ends up coming across weirdly creepy, this is in no way a family movie. My kids are mature, this is not appropriate for kids, and I'm not a prude or overly religious or shaming. This was upsetting and gross.

I'll start off by saying that this movie looks gorgeous, the visual effects and the costuming and the set design were all on point. And that's as far as I can compliment it.

The writing felt like a five year old's meandering word vomit, so many plot points were started only to not really go anywhere. There was no real resolution to anything of significance, no explanation for what did happen, and no real moral point. The character growth was unnatural, the dialogue was embarrassing... With how long this movie took to make there's really no excuse for it turning out like that. So yes, it's beautiful, but otherwise frustrating.

The production quality of the film is excellent, which gives the expectation for a good film, especially if intrigued by the trailer.

However, the film is just plain weird and not in a good way. The story seems to never really start, doesn't really know where it's trying to go and never really arrives anywhere.

I think, emphasis on think, it's trying to be clever as a metaphorical coming of age warning about sexual exploitation in the fashion industry? But the film doesn't achieve this aim and besides the very start and very end, the fantasy aspect is effectively irrelevant.

If aimed for children/young teens, it seems inappropriately overly sexual with a cast of all young minors and if aimed at adults it's just fundamentally built for the wrong audience with the irrelevant fantasy tale - which by the way makes no sense and I have no clue what happened, something about a key getting passed between witch sisters?!?

My wife wrapped after about 30 mins in, I committed to give it a chance but it never took off and then just ended, whilst simultaneously being weirdly inappropriate for the nature of film.

Don't recommend, even for intrigue.

Setting & Cinematography: 5/5. The blend of Italy's beauty with the fantasy world captivates right from the get-go. Story & Script: 4/5.

While the heart of Wonderwell is enchanting, certain areas, especially Yana and Hazel relationship motives, needed more explanation. Performances: 5/5. Carrie Fisher shines, anchoring the story with raw emotion. Pacing: 3.5/5. Some moments felt a tad rushed, pulling away from the overall immersion.

Comments: I watched Wonderwell with my child, and the tale's magic gripped him thoroughly. The mix of a modern setting with a fairy-tale twist was an instant hit. Despite some narrative hiccups, the film's emotional core and mesmerizing visuals make it a memorable watch, especially for younger viewers who find themselves swept up in its charm. A delightful pick for family movie nights.