The Swan Princess: The Mystery of the Enchanted Kingdom (1998)

I remember buying this on video from Blockbusters during childhood. I actually enjoyed it. Really liked the villain called Zelda: I found her scary back then. I knew it was a sequel after first watching this, but I couldn't watch the original movie because I didn't have it during that time, and I heard the first movie was really good. I think the sequel is worthy even though it may not be as good as the original, and I say that because it does have ties to the original film. Unfortunately, I have yet to watch the original one, and unlikely I'll ever will because of lack of time, but if there's one thing I do regret from childhood, then it's because I didn't see the original Swan Princess film. It's something I would've loved to have done. The Swan Princess: The Mystery of the Enchanted Treasure is a little underrated in my view, and that's why I have given it a good rating. 6/10.

The very thin plot is a rehash of the previous film, involving another betrayed accomplice of the original villain, Rothbart - this time, a witch named Zelda - trying to get at some magic left in Rothbart's old castle...which our heroes are inexplicably living in.The original three animal sidekicks are still the closest this series has to memorable characters. Speed the turtle and Puffin the puffin are OK, by virtue of their cool voices. Jean-Bob the would-be frog price is tolerable. Every other character in the film is annoying - bickering, whining and generally acting like jerks - except the titular princess, Odette, who can't muster enough character to be anything, including annoying.Each film in the trilogy involves Prince Derek being wrong and having to find a way to make it up to Odette - she is, as one character states, "always right." This makes Derek an unlikable idiot and Odette dull and one-dimensional.A bird named Whizzer joins the cast. Picture Fife from Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas on massive amounts of sugar and helium. He fills the role of "reluctant villain's accomplice" that seems to pop up a lot in these direct-to-video films. And for some reason, the whole first scene is about him.There's a lot of fluff about a festival, including a talent show and an obstacle course. There's also a romantic subplot of sorts for Lord Rogers (or as I call him, Grimsby Cogsworth), that goes nowhere, save for killing more time with a long musical number.The animation is passable - Rogers actually looks a little less creepy in this one - but it says something about the budget when they re-use the title card (and its fancy effects animation) from the original film.I suppose children or adults who remember it from their own childhoods might like it. But there are much, much better animated films out there that also feature princesses in pretty dresses, animal sidekicks, scheming villains and musical numbers - and actually know what to do with them! :)

This is a lot more superior than the second film. The magic is definitely back in this instalment. The songs are catchy and the animation is a lot better.It does contradict itself as the villain Zelda knows about the evil arts and in the previous film the villain said only he and Rothbart knew about the black arts and no-one else.The ending is darker because it looks like the black arts have killed Odette and there is relief when she comes back from the dead because it is such a beautiful love story.What a funny sub-plot with Jean-Bob training for the assault course and at the end beating a tough looking guy to become prince for the day.It is a good ending to the trilogy of films.

1st watched 3/29/2005-6 out of 10(Dir-Richard Rich): The 3rd entry in this series is a good story with pretty good songs despite a weak villainess who uses a goofy disguise to lure herself into the Prince's castle. Pretty much like the first two, this movie doesn't blow you away with anything great, but just is there as a good piece of entertainment. The main characters are developed well but the biggest flaw is a silly romance thrown in between the evil sorceress disguised as a Swedish maiden in distress, and a servant of the castle who is at his hammiest. There is romance and many hints of good character versus bad that is displayed for the young ones which is also a plus. All in all this was an enjoyable and well made piece of animation that will probably close out the series.