This is another one of many direct-to-video sequels to Disney animated features made in the past seventeen years, and the second sequel to the 1950 Disney version of "Cinderella". Both of these sequels were made over fifty years after the original. I saw 2002's "Cinderella II: Dreams Come True" earlier this month, and unsurprisingly, it didn't mean much to me. I didn't think this one, released five years later, would be any better until I saw that it had a significantly higher rating here, so even though it was another one of the Disney direct-to-video sequels, which are usually fairly weak, I had higher expectations for it than I did for the middle "Cinderella" film. While this film still can't match the original, it is above average.
The Fairy Godmother's magic wand falls into the wrong hands when she accidentally drops it in front of Anastasia, who has been spying on the couple's wedding anniversary and witnessing the Fairy Godmother doing her magic, and by doing so, she has found out how Cinderella and Prince Charming got together in the first place! She takes the wand back to mother Lady Tremaine and sister Drizella, and when the Fairy Godmother comes to retrieve it, she is accidentally turned into a statue! Now realizing this wand's power, Lady Tremaine uses it to reverse time and return to the moment where the Duke came with the glass slipper! Before Cinderella gets downstairs, her stepmother uses the wand to change the size of the slipper to fit Anastasia! Since Cinderella is the one who danced with the prince, she is determined to prove that she is the one. After her cruel stepmother and stepsisters leave for the palace, Cinderella secretly goes there as well, with her mouse friends, Jaq and Gus, to assist her. She thinks Prince Charming will remember her from the ball, but Lady Tremaine erases her from his memory!
The musical numbers in this sequel aren't that good if you ask me, and this already shows at the schmaltzy beginning, but the songs aren't exactly bad, either. At least they are sung by the characters, and are not like the pop songs performed by Brooke Allison and featured in "Cinderella II: Dreams Come True". The only exception here is "I Still Believe", performed by Hayden Panettiere, but we don't hear that one until the closing credits. The humour in this second sequel usually fails, with the sight gags that include conflict between Anastasia and Drizella, who make a huge mess in one of the palace rooms at one point. I don't think anything here made me laugh, not even the scenes involving the King, as much as this character made me laugh in the original 1950 Disney flick. However, I have no complaints about the animation in "Cinderella 3: A Twist in Time", and the story is the main thing that keeps this direct-to-video release from being boring, even if it wasn't 100% satisfying to me for some reason. It most certainly wasn't like I didn't care what was going to happen to the characters.
As with any direct-to-video sequel to a Disney animated feature, some fans of the original theatrically released movie (in this case, one which was made and shown in theatres long before the invention of the home video) are bound to hate "Cinderella 3: A Twist in Time". However, some fans of the 1950 "Cinderella" movie could be surprised. The premise sounded interesting to me before I watched the film, as much as some viewers might be disgusted by it, and may be the main reason why this particular Disney direct-to-video sequel is better than most of the many others I've seen. I almost feel I could rate it a seven out of ten, but not quite, and if I did that, it would mean I would be giving it the same rating I gave the original. I'm sure many Disney fans would consider that inexcusable! Still, even if you've seen "Cinderella II" and don't like it, you might not want to just assume that "Cinderella 3" isn't any better.
