wetzelmichael Review of Descendants 3

Descendants 3 (2019 TV Movie)

Hopefully this will not be the end of the line.

[7/10 · 6 August 2019]

Descendants 3 picks up a bit after Descendants 2 left off and adds some twists to the story. First, although it is not specifically mentioned, it is implied that the core crew has finished high school. The 4 original VKs (Villain Kids) return to the Isle of the Lost to pick 4 more kids to join them in Auradon. The film begins with a big dance number where all the Isle kids line up hoping to be selected. Those that were not picked seemed doomed to wait until the next VK selection day. Uma is still on the loose and expected to crash the party at any moment. Mal accepts Ben's marriage proposal. Everyone is ecstatic except Ben's ex Audrey. When the VKs go to the Isle to pick up the four new kids Hades attempts to escape. This prompts a decision to permanently close the barrier; effectively ending the exchange program intended to redeem the kids on the Isle. Overcome by jealously Audrey steals Queen Belle's crown and Maleficent's scepter and embarks on a rampage of black magic shenanigans. The only thing that can stop her is Hades' ember. Mal and the others secretly return to the Isle to recover the ember from Hades, who is revealed as Mal's absentee father. They still can't prevail alone; they must set aside their differences and work with Uma and her crew if they are to bring down Dark Audrey. The film has its share of moments. It was good to finally see Ben as a beast. The engagement in the beginning is a nice touch; Ben and Mal have always been so cute together that you can't help but root for them. This is the only significant relationship event in the film. Evie has one song about love's first kiss; her boyfriend Doug has morphed from a clean-cut nerd into a grunge rocker. Carlos and Jane's relationship is developed even less. I know this is Disney channel, but these are good looking young people so their relationships should have more content; perhaps at the Grease level. Adding Cheyenne Jackson as Hades gave some spunk to the film, even though he is only featured in three scenes. Kristin Chenoweth still has not resumed her role as Maleficent from the first installment; a duet between her and Jackson about their strained relationship would have been classic. There is a song accompanying every plot event, although only Audrey's "Queen of Mean" and a duet between Hades and Mal carry much zing. The new VKs don't get much attention. Dr. Facillier's daughter Celia had potential but becomes mainly a sidekick. Dizzy Tremaine and the Smee twins are just there as filler characters. Cameron Boyce's recent young death is a sad undercurrent throughout, but it does not diminish the fun factor too much. Predictably, in the end peace is restored to Auradon, everyone is forgiven, and they are all better people for it. The film ends with the barrier over the Isle being permanently broken, which is akin to letting all the inmates in a maximum-security prison walk out. There are some Isle residents who should not be loose. It would have been better to release all the kids and allow them occasional visits to their parents. The ending left me with a feeling of incompleteness; having the royal wedding would have tied up all the loose ends. The movie touched cords with many current political events: open borders vs security, splitting up families, good and bad came come from inside and out, criminal justice reform. The conclusion does not slam the door shut on the possibility of future installments but had a sense of finality. This is supposedly the last Descendants movie; it would be somewhat disappointing if that holds. There is enough material remaining for a Descendants 4, although it might be difficult to do without Boyce. Casting anyone else in his role would be borderline disrespectful. But Carlos is not an essential character; it has always been Mal's story. Maybe they will pick it back up in 2 or 3 years. Overall Descendants 3 had its flaws but is still enjoyable. Both kids and parents can enjoy the story and theatrics. The Descendants series has been a big success for Disney, and part 3 scores a 7/10.