Barbie and the Twelve Dancing Princesses (2006)
On October 10, 2023 by CrescentBarbie in the Twelve Dancing Princesses was one of the first Barbie movies I ever saw as a child. It inspired me to take up ballet dancing, as a matter of fact. Looking back on this movie now, I can certainly see how it inspired me to learn more about the world of dance. This film is a joy from beginning to end and a must-watch for any fans of Barbie.
Story
After receiving criticism about the way he is raising his twelve daughters, King Randolph calls in the aid of his cousin, Duchess Rowena, to help rein them in. Rowena is cruel and calculating though, planning on taking the throne from Randolph by poisoning him. It’s up to his daughters, led by the charismatic Genevieve, to stop Rowena from succeeding in her plan and save his life. In the end, the youngest of the family, Lacey, comes through and saves him with her quick wit and kindness.
I have to commend this movie for its incredibly captivating story. It grabs your attention quickly and doesn’t let go by introducing the characters in all their whimsy and fun from the start. The story builds powerfully with time, culminating in one of the most exciting final acts in any Barbie movie. Everything plays out perfectly in the final few scenes, leaving audiences at the edge of their seats.
The pacing of Twelve Dancing Princesses is expertly done, and everything takes up exactly as much time as it needs to. I never found myself bored with the story or wishing it would hurry up, and having such great pacing when also needing to stop for dance sequences is amazing. This film knows what it’s doing when it comes to executing its story, and I can’t help but applaud it.
The story of Twelve Dancing Princesses is exciting and builds upon itself before shining in a grand climax that stands out gladly among its contemporaries.
Story: 10/10
Characters
The main characters of Twelve Dancing Princesses are, as is to be expected, the titular twelve princesses. Their names all follow the naming scheme of the first twelve letters of the alphabet to make them easy enough to remember in order from oldest to youngest. The two standout princesses are Genevieve and Lacey, numbers seven and twelve respectively. Genevieve is patient and caring, and she’s exactly the guiding light Lacey needs. The two have lovely arcs over the course of the movie, and I love seeing them together.
Derek is the love interest of this film, and he and Genevieve have lovely chemistry. Derek is joined by his parrot companion, Felix, and the two have great banter to help bring out Derek’s greatest strengths and weaknesses. As far as love interests go, Derek is one of the best, and he goes a long way as one of the heroes of the movie.
The primary villain, Rowena, is an imposing and terrifying figure who echoes the tactics of emotional abuse almost too well. Her henchmen, human Desmond and monkey Brutus, both follow her cruelty perfectly. Her plan is smart, and she maintains a manipulative and threatening aura to the bitter end, gladly using the gullibility and insecurity of her cousin, Randolph, to her advantage to usurp him as the ruler of the nation.
All of these characters are very strong, but the cast is unfortunately not perfect. Aside from Genevieve and Lacey, the rest of the princesses are fairly static characters who don’t develop much over the course of the movie. Twyla also feels somewhat lacking as an animal companion, especially since Felix and Brutus have so much more impact on the plot. The characters that are fleshed out are lovely, but the other characters who don’t develop as much stand out obviously as a result.
The characters with the greatest impact on the plot are very strong, but those who leave less of a mark are very static in a movie with notably dynamic leads.
Characters: 8/10
World Building
The world of Twelve Dancing Princesses is split between the castle of the kingdom and the golden pavilion. The former is an expansive location that houses the lives of the titular princesses. This palace is in the running for the grandest castle in all of Barbie, and it certainly gets more screen time than most other palaces. I love its aesthetic, and it works well with both the drab colors of Rowena’s takeover and the vibrant gleam of the princesses’ decorations. Since there was so much to balance with the named characters though, there are very few extras, making the castle feel less lived-in than it should. What is done with the named characters is great, but the background feels somewhat empty as a location.
The golden pavilion is a gorgeous location and perfectly fits the definition of the alternate dream world it was always meant to be. The pavilion opens up quite a few theories about the story of the dancing princess as well, and it adds to the grandness of the tale the princesses are following even after their mother’s death. There is magic to be found, but it has rules and doesn’t feel too out of control. The magic being used in a way that resolves the conflict of the movie is incredibly creative as well. I have no issues with the pavilion at all; it’s a lot of fun whenever it appears.
The golden pavilion is a perfect setting, and while the castle comes close, it is missing a little bit of extra life to really flesh it out more.
World Building: 9/10
Themes
The guiding theme of Twelve Dancing Princesses is that there is a difference only you can make. In terms of Lacey’s arc, this works perfectly… Though I wish there was a bit more done with it. The other princesses feel very static as characters, and I think following through on this idea for more of them would have gone a long way with that. The lesson Genevieve teaches Lacey is a powerful one, but it would have had more weight to it if it was given more examples and time to shine.
Themes: 7/10
Production
The standout of Twelve Dancing Princesses in terms of production is the music. The score is absolutely gorgeous, and the songs will linger in your mind long after you finish the movie. This movie has one of the best soundtracks of any Barbie movie, and it deserves its flowers, especially with the backing tracks for the dance sequences.
The animation is very strong, following well on the heels of Mermaidia. I have one problem with the animation though: I wish the princesses had a bit more variation in terms of their models. The older seven have identical body shapes, and the same applies to the twins and triplets. I can understand it a bit more in the latter two cases, but it’s somewhat jarring to have seven sisters look the same only for the next two to look so drastically different, especially in terms of height. The animation is great, yes, but I would have liked to see more variety in body types.
The voice acting is a note of pride for this movie too, and my favorite performance here is easily Lacey. Voicing child characters can be difficult, but it feels effortless here. It goes a long way to helping her arc really hit home.
The production of Twelve Dancing Princesses is overall very good, but the princesses can be somewhat jarring to look at when all together because of the lack of body types.
Production: 9/10
Overall
Barbie in the Twelve Dancing Princesses is a strong adventure with a gripping story, interesting world, and beautiful score. I may have wishes for its animation and characters, but those are relatively small nitpicks for a generally incredible film. I don’t think I can recommend this movie enough. If you haven’t already seen it, you should absolutely check it out whenever you get the chance.
Overall: 8.6/10
Silly Superlative: Barbie movie with the most dramatic gasping
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