Genre: Fantasy, teen drama, adventure
The School of Good and Evil is a film adaptation of a series of best-selling books by author Soman Chainani (who also makes a brief cameo).
Set in a fantasy world, two best friends, Sophie (Sophia Ann Caruso) and Agatha (Sofia Wylie) find themselves on opposing sides of an epic battle when they are swept away to an enchanted school where aspiring heroes and villains are trained to protect the balance between good and evil.
Caruso and Wylie bring the friendship dynamic to life with their on-screen chemistry.
They also hold their own against Hollywood giants Charlize Theron, Laurence Fishburne, Kerry Washington and Michelle Yeoh, who all give colourful performances as the school’s teachers.
The storyline follows the typical fantasy film trope, such as that of Harry Potter and Descendants.
While the movie focuses mostly on Sophie’s dismay at being assigned to the School for Evil and Agatha’s trouble with fitting in and desire to just go home with her friend, it also digs into what truly makes one inherently good or evil and the outlandish expectations that the schools put on their students.
At two hours and 27 minutes, this Netflix film is quite drawn out because of a few lengthy fight scenes and montages.
The CGI-heavy film feels more like a Nickolodean/ Disney creation.
It is clearly a film aimed at teenagers, with the dialogue and plot points quite predictable.
Readers of the books will most likely appreciate the various elements of the film more, otherwise this is a good, light-hearted fantasy story to pass the time.
The School of Good and Evil is on Netflix.
