It hardly needs to be said, but mark this as the type of sequel/TV movie that is whipped up to revive a beloved character or franchise, but which very pointedly sticks them in odd circumstances, just for fun. After all, why not? It's safe to say that the very premise of 'Annie: A royal adventure' is rather far-fetched, but by the same token, the only intent here is family-friendly entertainment. None of the cast from this picture's 1982 predecessor have returned, nor is this a musical - but as there's no pressure to remain especially faithful to a preexisting story, everyone involved here is allowed to just have a good time. To that end, the writing is definitely simplified such that young children could enjoy it, but there's still sufficient cleverness here to make it reasonably appealing to older viewers, too. 'A royal adventure' isn't wholly essential, perhaps, but it's pretty decent!
Outlandish as the story is, Trish Soodik's screenplay is rather solid. Though geared for kids, the scene writing and dialogue is penned with wit and good humor that earns some smiles and laughs. (Even if the title character's catchphrase - "leaping lizards!" - is repeated a hair too often.) The narrative is complete and cohesive, and suitably smart that one can recognize some nice little touches to keep one engaged. Compared to what we would want of more adult-oriented fare the characters are perhaps underwritten in general, and largely reduced to a single personality trait, but it's fine for a feature of this nature. Annie alone feels duly well-rounded, buzzing with precocious energy and determination; good thing she's the protagonist!
Gratifyingly, whatever strength there is in 'A royal adventure,' the cast do a terrific job of drawing it out, guided by capable direction from Ian Toynton. Even those portraying secondary supporting characters, like Jayne Ashbourne, Perry Benson, and Camilla Belle impress with what material they're given. Joan Collins is clearly eating up the opportunity to play such a deliciously dramatic dame as Lady Hogbottom, and it's an unexpected pleasure to watch her - and Crispin Bonham-Carter, too, as he revels in chewing scenery as Rupert Hogbottom. Established stage actors as they are, it's a joy to see George Hearn and even more so Ian McDiarmid turning their skills toward realizing roles that are much sillier than their norm. Above all, it's an outright delight to see Ashley Johnson, then only 12 years old, take on the part of Annie. She has very well demonstrated her abilities in a number of capacities throughout her career, and even as a child actor she showed adept range, nuance, and poise to take on a lead role. To revisit her work at such a tender age, knowing well some of what she has done since, is just a blast.
Top it all off with excellent costume design, hair and makeup work, and filming locations, and to be honest this is really quite fun overall. The chief fault of the 1982 film was that when someone wasn't singing or dancing the title kind of dragged, and on a lesser note, the more nonsensical inclusions contrasted poorly with the intended sincerity. As this TV movie takes on these characters without any major care for heartfelt genuineness, and dispensing (almost) entirely with musical inclinations, balance never enters into the equation - so it can be what it wants without any fetters. By all means, the wildly fanciful tenor of 'A royal adventure' may be a bit much for some viewers; there's no disputing that the kitsch and boiled-down simplicity of the family-friendly writing rides a fine line. Yet that writing is stronger than I'd have given it credit for, sights unseen, and the cast go a long way in making up the difference. Most recommendable for fans of those involved, this is hardly going to appeal to all comers, but if you're open to the type of picture 'Annie: A royal adventure' represents, this is a surprisingly worthwhile movie!
