The 10th Kingdom Reviews

Well, at least this thing knows it’s faintly ridiculous at times, while at others it hints at a more adult, dark fantasy epic that’s bubbly under the surface. I think I would have preferred if the later had come rushing up, taking hold of the Bee Gees singing trolls and made them less kitsch. (Not a knock against the brothers Gibb, cause lord know I love them.) In fact, The 10th Kingdom would have been a lot better if it had just decided on which version it wanted to be and stuck with it.

Does anyone else vaguely remember the hyperbolic ads for this proclaiming it the television event of the millennium? Well, the introduction for the series nearly lives up to the hype. It sees a small fairy fly around Manhattan as the skyline slowly changes from concrete jungle to European mythological fantasia. The actual series never really lives up to this surrealistic promise, although it can come close on several occasions.

One of the main problems is the lead actress, Kimberly Williams. She lacks weight and seems uncomfortable in carrying an entire mini-series on her shoulders throughout. She’s perky and spunky, sure, but she doesn’t have the dramatic chops necessary to carry the whole enterprise. She’s practically swallowed up by John Larroquette as her father, Scott Cohen as a hybrid wolf-human and Dianne Wiest as the grand diva Evil Queen.

Cohen in particular overacts his part with a manic energy bordering on undiagnosed bipolar disorder and campy theatrics. His constant sniffing, panting, scratching and rubber faced mugging gets to be trying during several moments, yet he’s also infinitely watchable. In the way that only flagrant disregard for quality acting can be.

Look elsewhere for surprises in 10th Kingdom when it comes to good acting. Ann-Margaret as Cinderella and Camryn Manheim as Snow White do quite well, and are totally unique and original casting ideas and character revisions. Rutger Hauer is an imposing presence just by standing still, and he’s expertly cast as the huntsman. Wiest takes on the wicked step-mother/evil queen role like she born to wear the ornate costumes and jewelry. It’s like she took her theater diva from Bullets Over Broadway and merged her with a serpent, pretty terrific stuff.

But when 10th Kingdom is bad, it’s bad. And not in an ironic way, in a way that suggests the story is too bloated and could have used some pruning. The trolls could and should have been an interesting and dangerous assortment of characters. But they’re instead used as comedic fodder and quickly jettisoned from the storyline. This is a shame for many reasons, but amongst them is how marginalized Ed O’Neill becomes. The grotesque makeup and mannerisms that he adopts for his character are quite fun, and if given an opportunity to go darker and more dangerous with it he could have made a greater mark.

And then there’s the whole magical dog/prince body swap mess. Daniel LaPaine turns in a truly horrible performance as the prince with the mind of a dog. He plays for the balcony seats, always a bad idea on film, and does nothing but slobber, pant and whine. It’s a sight to see, but not in a good way. His voiceover for the dog is better since he seems more attuned to the pursed, tightly wound regal, and it gives him a chance to deliver witty asides that comment upon the story.

Yet when 10th Kingdom decides to do something clever, it really lasts in the imagination. The storyline concerning Bo Peep and her family’s dark secret is a laugh riot. Snow White mentioning that she’s more interested in acting as a corporeal fairy-godmother seems like a logical extension of her character, and is also pretty witty. The gossipy rummaging about Cinderella having a lot of “magic work” done over the years is a nice way to parody the concept that these heroines will remain youthful and beautiful for ever after.

The 10th Kingdom may be a little bloated, but it’s worth a cursory look for those of us interested in fairy tale adaptations. It may be uneven, and the first episode really drags and fails to ignite, but there’s a certain ragamuffin charm to the whole thing. It’s not a classic, or even all that great, but if the sight of three trolls proclaiming a boom box magical, or some mushrooms singing “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” or a sheep-herding remix of “We Will Rock You,” then this may just be the mini-series for you. Yet I maintain that the darker undertones and hinted at adult feints should have been brought more to the surface and played a larger role. Then this thing could have really been something. Plus, a good edit to trim down the story that meanders too much.