The Princess Switch - Switched Again Movie Review: Even Three Vanessa Hudgens Can't Stop This Unnecessary Sequel To A Delightful Christmas Original From Being Disappointing

The Princess Switch back in 2018, took the Parents Trap way to present a royal romance for the Christmas celebration. Along with the many festivities, it's a sort of a ritual now to deliver mush fests in the 12 days of Christmas. While they are annoyingly predictable, they do leave you in a happy place for a few minutes. The Princess Switch did the same with two Vanessa Hudgens replacing each other. But the sequel adds one more to the mix and makes you feel bored and uninspired. Vanessa Hudgens Birthday Special: 5 Times the Princess Switch Star Made Heads Turn With Her Hottest Looks (View Pics)

Two years after the first switch happened, Lady Margaret (Vanessa Hudgens) is all set to take the throne after her father's demise and cousin's abdication of the throne. It throws her romance with Kevin (Nick Sagar) off-gear and they breakup. On the other hand, Stacy (Vanessa again) and Prince Edward are now married but happily ever after is quite strained there too as Stacy is excessively busy with her princess duties leaving Edwards feeling alone. Stacy however decides to get Kevin and Margaret back together and her switch plans get activated again. But this time there's a third wheel, Margaret's cousin Fiona Pembrooke (Vanessa Part III) who gets into their plan to relieve herself of her financial woes by being the Queen.

The original despite being irritatingly predictable was a delightful watch. We all love royal romances even when it's rather stupid. When that's the case you are obviously kicked to watch the sequel. The biggest issue with this genre is if you have watched the trailer, you have more or less watched the entire movie. It's as if the director hates the idea of a mystery is run-of-the-mill Christmas features. The sequel too goes through the same hiccup. This time, the romance isn't enough either.

The reason why I feel that a follow-up is unnecessary because the first one added on a happy note with both the princess and the commoner finding their match. Leaving a few things to imagination should have been the way forward but the writers Robin Bernheim Burger and Megan Metzgar clearly didn't think so. The only way to spice up the story would be another switch but they did make it a little too crowded with three of them. The characters aren't even distinct and at one point in time, all three Vanessa's looked exactly the same. Action Jackson much? (That's a Bollywood movie btw). Oh yea, the little girl has grown up to be another Annoying Anjali (Read Kuch Kuch Hota Hai).

The movie seemed more like a filler. The discord between Kevin and Margaret is played out a little too much even when both of them look quite okay with their breakup. Margaret was even thinking of moving on when Stacy got in the way with 'Everyone deserves a second chance.' YAWN!

Stacy forcing Margaret into the whole second chance gig is so not-done. Yes, as a friend you can give a push but not a shove. It's like one of those conversations you have with your parents when they insist 'Are baat karne mei kya harz hai ?' again and again. Antonio, played by Lachlan Nieboer, walks and talks like a bot and you can judge from his demeanour that he will most definitely choose the wrong side. He is so avoidable in the narrative you don't even care whether he is or out.

Mrs Donatelli played by Suanne Braun, was one of the characters I adored in the first film and also Frank. These two hardly have any screen time in the sequel. I know many would argue such movies are extremely flawed but leave you with all the feelings. My point is the sequel doesn't even give you that because there are hardly any mush moments. Such movies clinch the deal by ending it with a sweet kiss. The sequel is extremely lacking in that part. And that's unforgivable! Take it from a woman who watches such movies by the dozen and feels sorry for her single status every time.

On the performance side, Vanessa Hudgens is quite eye-pleasing and transitions between the roles well but the accent really gets disturbing. Sam Palladio as Prince Edward could have added the much-needed mush to the proceedings as he is quite dishy but he hardly gets much room. Nick Sagar is the usual, as he was in the first film.

 Yay!

-Just another Christmas movie to watch during the festivals

Nay!

-Yawn-inducing storyline

-Three's a crowd with too many Venessa Hudgens

-Not enough mush

Final Thoughts

If you are seriously looking for such Christmas movies with a royal spin, try A Christmas Prince series which is also available on Netflix. The sequels smartly take the story forward from a commoner trying to adjust to her Queen duties to giving birth to a Royal baby. Interestingly, they do drag the couple in the mix. As for The Princess Switch 2, watch it only if you are dying to do so.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 19, 2020 05:59 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).