The Swan Princess is a 1994 American animated musical fantasy film directed by Richard Rich and based on the ballet "Swan Lake". The film is a co-production between Nest Family Entertainment and Rich Animation Studios and distributed by New Line Cinema and currently owned by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, and was released on November 18, 1994.
Plot[]
King William and his friend Queen Uberta both have children; William has a baby princess named Odette and Uberta has a son named Derek. The two monarchs decided that when their children grow up, they would marry and will unite two kingdoms.
But unknown to all was a different plan; the court warlock, Sir Rothbart, has planned to conquer William’s kingdom by mastering a type of dark magic called the Forbidden Arts. On the eve of the attack, William discovers this treachery and Rothbart’s powers were plunged into darkness. Despite calls for his death, William banishes Rothbart, who swears that he will take everything William owes and loves.
As kids, Odette and Derek started to dislike each other. When they become young adults, Derek foolishly insisted that he loves Odette for her beauty, causing the wedding plan to be cancelled. While on their way home, Odette and William are ambushed by Rothbart, who got his powers back. Turning himself into the Great Animal, he attacks the carriage and in the process, he steals Odette and fatally wounded William. Upon hearing the news from one of William’s soldiers, Derek rushes to investigate the aftermath and is told by William that Odette is gone.
After William’s assassination, Rothbart is keeping Odette captive in his new lair, Swan Lake. He has turned her into a swan, while she can temporarily become human when the moonlight touches her wings. During he captivity, she befriends a German turtle named Speed, a French frog named Jean Bob, and an Irish puffin called General Puffin.
Upon finding no sign of finding Odette, the entire kingdom knew that Odette is missing, so Uberta encourages Derek to find a new princess. But he refused, as he believes that she’s still alive. He and his lifelong chap, Bromley, practice archery and Catch and Fire, with some assistance from the castle’s butler and musician tutor, Lord Rogers.
Meanwhile, Puffin and Odette (in her swan form) fly together to find Derek in the woods. However, Derek mistakes Odette as the “Great Animal” and tries to kill her. The chase led to Derek to Swan Lake, where he witnesses Odette becoming human. But their reunion is short-lived once Odette heard Rothbart coming. Before leaving, Derek is told by Odette that in order to break the spell, he must make a vow of everlasting love and “prove it to the world”. As Derek leaves, Rothbart arrives, having heard the conversation, and tells Odette that she can’t make it to the ball, as well as telling her that there will be “no moon”.
Upon hearing that his plans will be ruined by Derek, Rothbart decided to send his hag Bridget in order to fool Derek that if he falls in love with the wrong girl, this will eventually kill Odette.
During the night of the ball, he imprisons Odette and Bromley, whom he got lost in the woods. After being freed by Puffin, Speed and Jean Bob, Odette tries to warn Derek, but she was too late, as Derek has made the vow to the wrong girl. Suddenly, Rothbart crashes the party and fools Derek that he revealed the fake Odette’s true form. Realizing his mistake, Derek rushes to Swan Lake, where Odette reverses back to her human form. Before she died, she told him that she loved him. An enraged Derek confronts and demands Rothbart into undoing the spell on Odette, which he promises to do so, only if Derek defeats him. Rothbart transforms and reveals himself as the Great Animal and a battle ensues when he overpowers and nearly kills Derek. Fortunately, Odette’s animal friends provided a bow to Derek, and Bromley, who already escaped from his early imprisonment in the dungeon, provides an arrow to Derek, who shoots an arrow to Rothbart, instantly killing him.
Once Rothbart is killed, Derek tearfully expresses his vow of everlasting love to Odette, who awakens and the spell on her is broken by Derek. Afterwards, Odette and Derek are married, and the move into Rothbart’s old castle, along with Rogers, Bromley, Uberta, her servants and guards, and King William’s soldiers. Bridget redeems herself and falls in love with Uberta’s first footman, Sir Chamberlain, while Puffin becomes the general of the swans and Jean Bob gets a kiss by Odette by thinking he will become a prince, but he does not. Later, Odette and Derek live happily ever after.
Why It's Swanderful[]
- The warlock, Sir Rothbart is a pretty funny and evil villain, voiced perfectly by the late Jack Palance.
- Queen Uberta’s head butler and Prince Derek’s musician tutor, Lord Rogers, easily stole the movie as a comic relief, due to his sarcastic nature.
- The love chemistry between Princess Odette and Prince Derek is well executed and strong.
- It’s not afraid to show some scary or sad scenes such as King William’s assassination and Odette nearly dying.
- Fun score by Lex De Azevado
- Even if some songs are forgettable, there are great songs like “Practice”, “Far Longer than Forever”, and much more.
- The animation was well done
- Decent pacing
- The final climatic battle between Derek and Rothbart is so intense and powerful.
- Bridget’s rehabilitation is really interesting because she started to fall in love with Uberta’s first footman, Sir Chamberlain.
- The cast was mostly well done, especially Jack Palance as Rothbart.
- Odette is a pretty likable and strongly developed princess.