The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement

The original The Princess Diaries was instrumental in inaugurating the recent spate of Cinderella-style movies aimed at adolescent girls, but the formula has grown a bit stale, and this sequel doesn't add much. Directed in the same broad style as its predecessor by Garry Marshall, this second installment chronicles the troubled accession of young Mia (Anne Hathaway), the typical American teen who--thanks to the intervention of her kindly grandmother, the queen (Julie Andrews)--became the heir-apparent to the crown of the imaginary European principality of Genovia in the first film. Here, an archaic law requiring that any female ascending the throne be married is unearthed by an ambitious nobleman, who hopes to replace Mia with his dashing but arrogant nephew Nicholas, leaving Mia with only a month to find a spouse. Naturally, she and Nicholas become romantically involved and scandal ensues before the obligatory happy ending and message of female empowerment. But the predictability of every plot twist quickly grows tiresome, and some may find the cult of royalty that the movie embraces and the rampant materialism it applauds more than a bit distasteful. In short, The Princess Diaries 2--like its young heroine--is pretty but vacuous. Not a necessary purchase. [Note: Available in either widescreen or full screen versions, DVD extras include “A Julie and Garry Commentary” by director Garry Marshall and costar Julie Andrews, eight deleted scenes (17 min.) with onscreen intros by Marshall, the “making-of” featurette “Making a Return Engagement” (16 min.) hosted by costar Raven, the 11-minute segment “The PD2 Makeover” featuring star Anne Hathaway's stand-in getting a Beverly Hills makeover, the music video “Breakaway” by American Idol Kelly Clarkson, four minutes of “Royal Bloopers,” a “Find Your Inner Princess” personality quiz, and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a disappointing sequel.] (F. Swietek)