The Princess Switch 2: Switched Again (2020)

Director: Mike Rohl
Writer(s): Robin Bernheim and Megan Metzger
Starring: Vanessa Hudgens (x3), Sam Palladio, Nick Sagar and Mia Lloyd

The Princess Switch 2: Switched Again is the perfect movie for anyone who felt like the first one didn’t have enough Vanessa Hudgens. It also operates under the assumption that the first one was too easy to follow. So, they give us 33% more Vanessa and throw in a triple-switch scenario that is complex by simplicity. I mean, any time you’re dealing with multiple copies of one person, things are bound to get a little confusing. 

The first one saw Stacy DeNovo and Lady Margaret swap so that the latter could see what life is like for a “commoner”, and the former could fall in love with a prince. In this one, the plot is even more threadbare: Following the breakup of Lady Margarent and the goofy manchild Kevin, Lady Margaret - who is now about to take over as the “King/Queen” of Montenaro - tempts the idea of getting closer to Antonio Rossi, her chief of staff and clear scumbag. Stacy refuses to allow the fair Lady to fall victim to such a sleazeball, but in preparation of her forthcoming coronation, she simply feels like she doesn’t have enough time to talk to anyone, including the man who she feels is the love of her life.

So Stacy makes a suggestion: Switch bodies again, so that Lady Margaret (who will look like Stacy) can be a “commoner” again, thus giving her ample time to patch things up with that grinning idiot Kevin. Okay, this is already stupid, but there’s another character to add to the proceedings: Lady Margaret’s cousin, Fiona, who also happens to look like her and Stacy. She’s the “evil” one of the family, and arguably the first quantifiable villain in the entire series. She hatches a terrible plan to (forcefully) switch places with Lady Margaret, be crowned queen, and then loot the royal treasury. You know, because that plan is foolproof.

As can be expected following the runaway success of the first one, this ups the preposterousness of the original to ridiculous extremes, which should appeal to fans of the series. Of course, that means it’s even less logical than part one, but logic is never something one watches this type of movie for. 

Fiona is an okay villain, who at least allows Hudgens the chance to play a more wild version of these characters. She (and her henchman) are exact copies of the prototypical slapstick villain, trying to ooze evil within the confines of a family-friendly rating; I suppose she succeeds given the odds stacked against her, but it’s all obvious stuff. Supposedly, this character also sticks around for the third one (Lord, have mercy on our souls), as Stacy and Lady Margaret must turn to her to stop some bad guys who want to pull off a royal heist, or something.

There’s really no need to go on any further, because you already know if this is something you would be interested in or not. It does nothing new with the formula - in fact, it somewhat regresses by using more tropes than the first one - but there’s still a mostly likable cast and scenes of almost-enraging illogic, two requirements of the subgenre. Fans of the first should find almost just as many things to like the second time around.

STRAY OBSERVATIONS

• It's a shame Alexa Adeosun, who played Olivia in the first one, doesn't make a return here. Instead, her character is played by Mia Lloyd, who is much more annoying.

ENTERTAINMENT RATING: 6/10

TRAILER