The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004)

 

Genre: Family/ Comedy

Time: 2h

Director: Garry Marshall

Quick Summary: Now settled in Genovia, Princess Mia faces a new revelation: she is being primed for an arranged marriage to an English suitor.

While I was so happy that the previous film didn't force in a silly romance plotline, I'm admittedly really happy we have a romance in this one. 

It has all the usual tween girly features most Disney-esc films do. Anne Hathaway as our independent, wise and silly heroine, Julie Andrews returning as the glamourous icon she is, and not one but two love interests. One is a slightly "Bad boy" and the sweet nice guy. Again it may have been predictable and a big ball of fluff, but what do you expect. I still love it regardless because deep down, I'm still a young girl at heart who loves all the sappy tween stuff. I am also a sucker for enemies to lovers, but I wish they were more mean to each other to begin with, not just trying to dislike each other straight away.

Still enjoyable and has such good moral messages to it again. Hearing Julie Andrew sing is always a delight. Though I did find it funny how cartoonish the villain is for this, he even has a dramatic evil laugh and a full-blown tantrum when he eventually "Loses". But you know what makes this even better, Julie Andrew's character romance side story. It's so damn adorable, I felt like a young teenager squealing at the conclusion for them.

I also love that it's kept the generic girl 2000s pop because it really shows how cheesy and simple it was back then. You know what it was so inclusive, and that was a big deal back then. Boys and girls could wear tiaras and crowns in this, Anne Hathaway has an uphill battle against the tradition of she can only become queen if she gets married, and Women join the Genovian Parliament. 

Take this film at face value it's a cheesy, girly tween film and you'll enjoy it. If you can't do that, don't bother seeing it. (But please do)

9/10

"Mia Thermopolis: I look like a moose.

Paolo: But a very cute moose. Make all the boy moose go 'WHAAAAA.'

"Just because I didn't get my fairytale ending doesn't mean you shouldn't."