Director Tomáš Pavlíček comes up with a new Czech fairy tale that introduces three princesses - clever Sofia, brave Leona and beautiful Flora - on their adventurous journey to save the kingdom from the dark Queen Mortana. The tale seeks to appeal to modern audiences by emphasizing female courage, cooperation and an environmental message. Unfortunately, the final product falls short of expectations.
One of film's biggest problems is the script. The dialogue often feels modern to the point of being out of place, which undermines the traditional fairy tale feel. While the story does contain interesting elements, such as the quest for impossible tasks or the fight against evil, the plot is too straightforward and predictable. It lacks the humour and lightness that would have given the piece more pizzazz.
Unfortunately, the performances of the three young princesses fail to pull the whole film together, although they try. Only Klára Melíšková shines brightly in the role of the evil Queen Mortana, but her character could have been more elaborate. From a technical standpoint, the film offers nice exteriors and decent costumes, but the cheesy feel of most scenes detracts from its charm.
The fairy tale The Three Princesses takes itself too seriously, which may be challenging for child viewers. The ecological and anti-war message is an interesting intention, but comes across as forced and moralising rather than naturally embedded. Moreover, the absence of traditional fairy tale poetics will put many viewers off.
As a result, The Three Princesses does not feel like a Christmas Eve fairy tale that will go down as a classic. Still, it is an attempt at genre innovation that will find fans, especially thanks to the acting of Klára Melíšková and a few visually successful moments.
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