The 10th Kingdom

When I was first approached to watch this film, I noticed the length and was completely turned away. Ten hours. Who could endure this many interactions with children's storybook characters? Luckily, my wife sat me down and we began this lengthy process. To say the least, I was impressed. Directors David Carson and Herbert Wise did a spectacular job of bringing the magic and detail of fairy tales to the small screen. Through the voyages of our three main heroes, we see so many of our childhood escapes. Places where only our imagination took us before, we are guided through the images of modern television.

Imagination is only part of this miraculous tale. This film keeps with the modern idea of fairy tales with some very dark thematic elements. The scenes with the Trolls and with Snow White were spellbinding. You could literally get lost in this film and never want to escape. John Larroquette and Kimberly Williams are decent in their roles (about average for television), but it is Scott Cohen as the Wolf that literally steals every scene. He plays his part to the fullest extent. Ed O'Neill and Rutger Hauer also contribute well to this story.

Overall, this was a beautiful (if long) story that continually pushed the boundaries of a television mini-series. I never knew where it was going to take me next or which fairy tale it would dive right into. There was never a dull moment and it is a story that can be watched over and over again. This is a treat for anyone with a passion for children's literature!

Grade: ***** out of *****

I was pleasantly surprised by this mini-series. It's rare to find something that both adults and children can enjoy together. I watched this with my five year old nephew and he loved it, as did I.

This story combines all classic fairy tales with a modern twist. The scenery and costumes were great. Although the running time is long, the story moves keeps your attention and isn't slow paced. The actors did an excellent job. I found myself laughing out loud at the antics of some of the characters, like trolls singing along to Saturday Night Fever. In my opinion Scott Cohen made the series thanks to his portrayal of the wolf. He has gained a new fan in me.

I recommend this mini-series to all, whether young or young at heart.

I think I'm going to have to disagree with the critics on this one- I thought it was pretty good. When 'The 10th Kingdom' opened to universally negative reviews and plummeting ratings back in February, I wasn't even sure I was going to take the time to watch it. I remember, about two months before it opened, reading a newspaper article on the miniseries, and laughing at it. The article wasn't very flattering, and I was looking forward to seeing it fail. As the next two months passed I saw it advertised heavily on NBC, and I thought it looked pretty good. I did some looking around on the internet, and I became intrigued by it. I was still convinced it would fail, but I found myself counting down the days until it began.

After the first installment, I was hooked. Despite being downright silly much of the time, the scenery was absolutely extraordinary, ditto for the special effects. I ended up watching all five two hour installments, and I can't think of anything better that I could have spent it on.

Granted, the series still has several problems. The one thing I was disappointed most by was the lack of screen time of many of the *name* actors. Ann-Margret had only a few minutes, and Camryn Manheim appeared in only one installment. Also, Rutger Hauer had only about twenty minutes on screen spread over several installments. While still good, John Larroquette and Kimberley Williams didn't quite have either the talent or drawing power to hold the series.

Still, it was surprisingly engaging, and very well photographed. If you have the time, watch the series, I doubt you'll be disappointed

7/10

To the pantheon of unusual spins on fairy tales (Into the Woods, Shrek, Enchanted) we can add "The 10th Kingdom". I didn't expect anything profound, and there is a lot of the stuff that we expect in fairy tales, even in twists on fairy tales. Nonetheless, it's a fun miniseries with some neat surprises along the way. It was impressive to see Rutger Hauer in the miniseries, considering that he died a few months ago.

I wanted to mention Ann-Margret's role. To avoid spoilers, I won't tell you which character she plays. What I will say is that I occasionally come up with stories and imagine certain actors and actresses in the roles. One of the stories with which I've come up would presumably feature Ann-Margret playing essentially the same character that she does here (but with a different name, natch).

Anyway, it's a fine eight hours. Maybe the ending was a little cliched, but everyone else more than made up for that. No shortage of enjoyment here.

The 10th Kingdom has to be one of the most captivating, spellbinding movies to come along in years. So many have tried, but few have succeeded in creating such a beautifully woven masterpiece as The 10th Kingdom. There isn't a moment of this movie that I did not wholeheartedly enjoy.

Sure, it's long...very long. But with its spectacular visuals, compelling storyline, and off-beat but lovable characters, The 10th Kingdom takes you along for the journey that so captivates, you hardly notice the time that passes. This movie is an adventure of epic proportions that I would rank up there with The Neverending Story and The Princess Bride. Actually, as far as fairytales go, I daresay this is better.

The cast is perfect for each of their roles and acted them out spectacularly. The script is excellent with its many references to so many beloved fairytales...rapunzel, cinderella, snow white...and so many more.

This is a classic in the making. Please, if you haven't yet, check this one out. You'll be so very happy you did. Ten out of ten stars...without a doubt.