The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star (2021)

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

We slogged through the first two movies in the series, so I suppose we’re morally obliged to continue that tradition with the third (and hopefully final) one…right?

Actually, this trilogy isn’t as bad as some, and manage to be entertaining, for the most part, despite their contrived plotlines and the complete predictability that we’ve come to expect from all cheesy holiday rom-coms. It’s all just more of the same, but I doubt that’s really going to be a warning that’s going to turn most people away; what they want is more of the same.

The third one collects the same cast from the second, with Vanessa Hudgens reprising her roles as Stacy DeNova, Lady Margaret and Fiona, Lady Margaret’s mischievous cousin. If you’ve been keeping up on the series, you’ll remember that Fiona - who made her debut in the second one - was a bad girl who had plans on stealing Lady Margaret’s throne, simply so she could empty the royal house (or whatever it’s called) of all its valuables. Because, you know, that’s a crime that wouldn’t garner global attention.

Probably deciding that they’ve done everything they can with the straight “romance” plots, this one attempts to deliver an “action-packed” adventure: Someone steals a priceless relic, the “Star of Peace”, which was loaned to Lady Margaret from the Vatican for use as a tree topper at Montenaro’s annual Tree Lighting Festivities. Uh oh! 

Fiona finds herself performing community service by working as a custodian inside a convent, which is funny because she’s so materialistic that she wouldn’t be caught dead in a place like that (ha ha). Stacy and Margaret decide that they need someone who can “think like a criminal” to get the relic back, and so they turn to Fiona to help them. The head of the orphanage allows her to leave, under the agreement that she is “returned” (like a library book) the day after Christmas.

Of course, romance is still a theme: While Stacy and Lady Margaret’s beaus are already set in stone, this time Fiona gets her own chance to fall in love. The object of her affection is Peter Maxwell, a former Interpol agent with whom the two shared a past relationship. He wants to mend things, but Fiona - who always hides behind a facade of independence - feels like it’s water under the bridge; a waste of time that isn’t worth pursuing. But one thing that they can both agree is worth pursuing, is Hunter Cunard, a rich man with too much time on his hands, whom they deduce stole the Star of Peace simply because he's a bad man.

So, of course, we’re treated to a series of “switches” that have come to define the entire series: Lady Margaret “becomes” Fiona so that she can distract Hunter while the real Fiona can attempt to navigate through the laser-protected room that houses the Star of Peace with Peter. Then, in a surprise, Stacy receives word that Fiona is due to have an immediate hearing about her probation status in the convent, but seeing as how she’s out trying to reclaim the artifact, is unable to attend her own hearing. Does that mean Stacy is going to have to step in as Fiona? No way!

This series is slowly becoming less and less charming with each iteration, and this is definitely is the least entertaining one out of the lot. It has the same "solid" cast (all of whom reprise their roles from the previous two films, if applicable) and it’s nice to see Hudgens get to let loose as Fiona; she would have made an excellent Cruella DeVille. Sure, her character is still over-the-top, and not exactly “evil”, but it’s a much needed reprieve from Stacy and Lady Margaret, who are both too “goody two shoes”.

Now for the question on everyone's minds: Will there be a fourth? God, I hope not. 

STRAY OBSERVATIONS

• They’re really not even trying now.
• The best use for a priceless relic is as a tree topper atop a public Christmas tree.
• Kevin is still a complete goof who thankfully has a lesser role in this one.
• Also with a lesser role: Well, everyone really. Even Prince Edward seems to be thrown in as an afterthought, as the series seems to be focusing entirely on new things for Vanessa Hudgens to do.
• Why couldn’t they bring back the original Olivia?!
• The only way I'd be down for a fourth one is if Vanessa Hudgens played every single role.

ENTERTAINMENT RATING: 5/10

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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

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