Movie Review: Cinderella's Revenge (2024)
Synopsis: After her father is accused of stealing jewels from the king and killed, Cinderella is placed in the custody of her stepmother, who, along with her two stepsisters, treat her like a servant and abuse her at every opportunity. When Cinderella, with the help of her fairy godmother, attends the royal ball and catches the prince's eye, she is severely beaten in punishment and locked away to prevent the prince from finding out her real identity. Fed up, she listens to her godmother's advice and reluctantly seeks revenge. However, as she begins to shed blood, Cinderella begins to realize she enjoys it.
Who's in it? The movie stars Natasha Henstridge, Lauren Staerck, Stephanie Lodge, Beatrice Fletcher and Megan Purvis.
Review: My wife and I had time to do a movie double feature tonight and after loading up on seconds of loaded nachos, we put on Cinderella's Revenge. The movie turned out not to be what I was expecting but it was entertaining.
The movie is mostly a normal re-telling of the Cinderella story but with a few added comedy and horror movie twists. I loved how the godmother (Henstridge) was a bit goofy and had the ability to use her magic to take advantage of the future, whether it was bringing in 21st-century clothing designers and stylists or sending Cinderella (Staerck) to the 18th century ball in an electric car driven by Elon Musk (Stephen Staley).
The violent revenge twist did make the film unique, and I was impressed with how the film made sure to set it up, showing her stepmother and sisters (Lodge, Fletcher and Purvis) in full cruelty mode. Her acts of vengeance were justified both by the abuse and how hopeless her situation was.
Another thing I liked about this part of the movie was it kept the ending from being as predictable as Cinderella films usually are. There was a question about how she was going to get away with the murders and I also wondered if she would end up choosing not to end up with the prince (Darrell Griggs) once she gained her freedom and independence.
I did think the movie could have used some sort of surprise twist. There was no doubt her father was framed by her stepmother so that reveal didn't mean much. Plus, I thought the ending used a bit of a cheat when there were so many other possibilities as far as having a unique outcome.
I also wasn't a fan of the gratuitous sex scenes (one mid-way through and one toward the end). They just seemed so unnecessary and contributed absolutely nothing to the plot. Not every movie from this genre needs nudity.
Final Opinion: I think there were some missed opportunities as far as possible plot twists (the godmother secretly being the bad guy, for example) and a bit too much nudity but I still enjoyed the film overall.
My Grade: B-
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Here are some reviews of other revenge movies:
Movie Review: Please Murder Me! (1956)
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