After Disney’s failure with “Maleficent”, their newest remake, “Cinderella”, had a lot to prove. Despite having some of the finest talents in the entire film industry involved, Disney didn’t seem to have any faith in the film. If they did, they wouldn’t have promoted “Frozen Fever”, the short film sequel that was attached to “Cinderella,” so much. If Disney didn’t believe in the film, why in the world should I? Luckily, my fears were unfounded because, despite not being perfect, “Cinderella” was a strong and enjoyable film.

The film tells the story of a young girl who, after her father unexpectedly dies, is horribly mistreated by her wicked stepmother, Lady Tremaine, and her two stepsisters. When given the chance to go to a royal ball, she receives the help of all of her animal friends and a fairy godmother in order to attend the royal ball. At the ball, she meets and interacts with the prince (that she actually met earlier), but her visit is cut short and she needs to leave as the clock strikes 12, accidentally leaving her glass slipper behind. Now, the prince is desperate to find her again, and he’ll do whatever he can to find her.

“Cinderella” tells the same story you’ve heard again and again, but there are a few refinements that keep the experience mildly fresh. Most notably, Cinderella is now given an actual personality. Not only that, but she has actual relationships with all of the main characters. One of the things that makes me most happy is that an actual explanation for Lady Tremaine’s behavior toward Cinderella is given. The viewer received some background this time on the prince, making him a real character this time around instead of a plot-device.

The film has one of the strongest casts I’ve seen in a film so far this year. Lily James is excellently casted as Cinderella, seemingly effortlessly pulling off a character who, despite her terrible situation, is able to keep optimistic in life. Richard Madden plays a very convincing prince, bringing a bit of personality to a role that usually doesn’t have any. Helena Bonham Carter, while a strong fairy godmother, seems like she’s on autopilot, bringing no excitement or energy to the character. The incredible Derek Jacobi portrays a less cartoony, more serious interpretation of the king. The standout performance in the film, however, is Cate Blanchett as Lady Tremaine. Despite coming off as a bit silly or exaggerated at some points, her performance makes Tremaine is quite subtle and multilayered. She can often convey the feelings of her character without having to utter a single word.

Production-wise, the film is simply stunning. Directed by the incredible Kenneth Branagh, almost every shot in the film feels so meticulously crafted. The production design is almost perfect. All of the sets are beautifully designed, and nothing looks fake. The CGI isn’t exactly great, but it’s still used to present wonderful and imaginative images that were still highly detailed and colorful.

Unfortunately, “Cinderella” is still plagued with many problems that keep it from soaring. The stepsisters are absolutely horrible. They are meant to be a comic relief, but every single one of their comedic moments completely missed the mark. Every time they came on screen, I’d cringe. We’re in Jar Jar Binks territory, people. They single-handedly bring the film down several notches for me.

They’re not the only annoying characters. Here, the mice that Cinderella interacts with are frustrating to watch. They seem to add almost nothing to the story and their presence confuses me. This film seems to pride itself on being a grounded interpretation of the story, but the mice can still completely understand her. At first, the film suggests that maybe Cinderella is simply imagining that they understand her, which is a good idea, but that idea is completely ignored later in the film.

Story-wise, there’s one big mistake the film makes that is just too distracting to ignore. The film gives a good reason why the prince can’t marry who he wants, but, when he finally reunites with Cinderella, the film completely ignores reasons given earlier explaining why the prince shouldn’t be with Cinderella and why Cinderella wouldn’t be a good queen. It’s almost like the screenwriters completely forgot that they were trying to make the story interesting.

The moral of the film is more deceptive and forced than the average Disney moral, which is really saying something. At the end of the film, Cinderella and the prince look into the camera and say, “Have courage, be kind and all will be well.” It’s honestly a pretty insulting idea simply because of how simple-minded and ridiculous it is.

In many ways, the film also feels a bit self-indulgent. In the film, Cinderella’s real name is Ella, but the wicked stepfamily comes up with the cruel nickname for her. Instead of just leaving it at that, the film wants to keep reminding you that her real name isn’t Cinderella. After they come up with the nickname, they constantly end sentences like, “or should I say CINDER-Ella?” Luckily the scene isn’t too long, but it feels like the film is patting itself on the back.

And, for the record, the “Frozen” short film that’s attached to the film, “Frozen Fever,” is absolutely dreadful. It has the original cast back, but you’ll be too busy covering your ears while the terrible song plays to hear the awesome voice actors. It really feels like Disney is jumping the shark a bit with the oversaturation of “Frozen”, and it makes me think that “Frozen 2” might not be in good hands.

Overall, “Cinderella” is a good film with some serious flaws that keep it from being great. It’s wonderfully made with some standout performances. It’s perfectly directed and has a production that most major blockbusters should be jealous of. I’d say that, despite its heavy flaws, which definitely hurt the film, it’s definitely worth watching. I give “Cinderella” three stars out of five.