Barbie of Swan Lake (2003) Reviews

• Sweet.

  Mightyzebra2008-03-06

  This is a sweet film, only for children really of course. It is basically a CGI film featuring the famous Barbie doll as Odette in Swan Lake, along with a few other characters (the only other one who was a doll originally is the prince). This film is not too mediocre and is exceedingly entertaining for most children, especially girls who love Barbie. Boys may like it as well. For the quality of the film, there are a few things to add to it. There is quite a structured plot and well-thought characters and setting. It is not very similar to the original Swan Lake story, but luckily it is not too noticeable. I like it because it is sweet, quite funny and has quite good dancing and music from the original ballet. While Barbie talks to the little doll Shelley, who is going to race the next day, she shows her the constellation Cygnus, the swan. Then, Barbie tells Shelley the story of Odette, who turned into a swan... This is not only for children, I also recommend this to adults who want to keep their kids quiet and not mucking around. ;-)

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• Good ballet stuff for kids

  Nozz2004-04-12

  The story and characterizations are packed with instant-recognition cliches for the kids, but that way the kids will appreciate the dancing because it's done in character. Though the dancing takes only a small fraction of the screen time, it's well animated (computerized from the dancers of the New York City Ballet) and the medium is used well as a way of eliminating distractions and directing attention. Thanks to animation, the film shows us little children who dance like trained professionals. There seems to be a problem with the way they come down from jumps-- they seem to take as long as if they were bigger and had jumped higher-- but it's no big deal. I think the film could give a kid a helpful push toward appreciating ballet in particular and serious music in general. Sure the story is awful, but one movie can't have everything...

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• Inspirational

  lacers72004-11-26

  This animated film shows not only the incredible use computer graphics but the beauty of dance as well. I have one of the many little girls who have been inspired to the call of ballet after watching this creation. The overall story has it's short comings, but to take a popular toy and turn it into an inspiration of dance is truly wonderful. Anything that can motivate a child to reach high into the dream clouds of hope will get my vote. My kids would like to see them do the story of rumplestilskin and the spinning wheel that spins gold. Little girls will love the beauty, little boys with like the drama and heroics, the parents will praise the pure G rating and content. Great Work.

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• Enchanting Barbie take on the beautiful timeless story

  TheLittleSongbird2009-09-29

  I will admit at 17, I do like a vast majority of the Barbie movies, Nutcracker being my personal favourite. Swan Lake, while not perfect, is still very enchanting. There are some slow parts in the film, and I was annoyed by Maggie Wheeler's Odile. However, the computer animation in general is stunning, especially the dance sequences and any scene in the forest. Plus the opening credits were beautifully done. The music, adapted from Tchaikovsky's timeless ballet is just wonderful, a real gem of a score. And although the story is not always faithful to the original story, it still has some elements of it embedded, while putting its own enchanting take on it. The voice acting is highly commendable, a standout being Kelsey Grammar, who was terrific as the villainous Rothbart. The unicorn Lila is one of my favourite Barbie sidekicks along with Major Mint and Penelope. Oh, and Odette both in human form and swan form, is so beautiful. All in all, not perfect but very sweet and charming, and a delight for preschoolers. 8/10 Bethany Cox

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• Worth the Price of the DVD Just for the "More Fun" Section

  Wild_River_Rat2007-02-25

  As for the movie, it is a great adventure with not one but two strong "human-looking" positive female role models - Odette and the Fairy Queen. Clean language. Much less violence than many classic cartoons 40 to 50 years older. Unlike many mainstream and Disney Products, the commercials are at the end of the disc where your child has to go and select them on purpose - not up front and auto-loading, where you have to be quick with your remote to avoid them. Three segments in the more fun section have proved to be a delightful surprise -1) a segment some of the specific ballet dances, 2)"The Music in You" a short documentary featuring real girls, who are serious young musicians playing real musical instruments, and 3)a segment on constellations. I have spent years trying to get my daughter interested in astronomy. This disc did it in a few brief minutes. Possible Spoiler: Also, the Prince is a dynamic swashbuckler who only falls for one of the villain's deceptions.

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