The greatest assets are the two main actresses. Katia is a classic heroine. She is both strong and vulnerable. From the very start you care about her character and what needed to be done to stop the bad guy, Jareth. Arden is the standout. She is earnest, brave, and selfless. She is not burdened with doubt or indecision, setting her apart from the flawed female characters that are typical of most movies. I also liked Jenna, a red haired girl quite a lot. She is sassy and zesty, also probably the most lovely of all the girls.
When I began watching it, after 3 scenes, I didn't like it that much because it was too cliché and cheesy, so I thought to stop watching it, but I decided to watch a couple of more minutes before I gave the verdict and I'm glad I did. I began to enjoy it because the cheesiness went away and the story actually started to expand, and it is really exciting and creative.
Disclaimer, I don't like fantasy, so I did not think I would like this. This is not my typical fare. I watched this because there are actresses in it from a movie I like. That movie is set in the real world. However this movie is not, but the girls are lovely and the scenery is breathtaking,
My main complaint is that I didn't really understand the plot upon my initial viewing, so I needed to watch again. Lots of exposition. I think they spend half the movie explaining what's going on. You could write a novel with all that dialogue.
My second issue is that I couldn't always understand what they were saying. Both because it was fantasy jargon I'm unfamiliar with, and also because I simply could not hear them.
Not everyone is going to like this, which is why I've given it an 8 and not a 10. Ignore the plot and the talking but focus on the beauty of the actresses, characters and the forest they inhabit. If you like fantasy and you don't mind the low budget aspect and can look past that, I think that this is a diamond in the rough treasure that you will enjoy.
