I was prepared for 'Princess Protection Program' to describe the scenario. I was not prepared for PPP to be the name of a secret international agency safeguarding princesses all over the world. Many pages could be filled reviewing the political ramifications of such an organization, but this is certainly beyond the scope of a Disney Channel original movie, and with that point of origin noted I suppose I also shouldn't be surprised at exactly what this feature entails. And what PPP entails is a wealth of tropes, cliches, and predictable plot points common to such family fare: the angsty teen, the fish out of water, the difficulties getting along, the single dad, the over the top antagonists, the pressures of high school. I can't say that there are any major surprises in the content. Yet these are no inherent mark against a picture, and for what it's worth, this is nonetheless written with sufficient wit and heart that it really is pretty entertaining.
With familiarity and kitsch firmly in mind it's easy enough to just relax and enjoy the silliness. Annie DeYoung's screenplay is built on warm, lighthearted situational comedy, with a few clever lines and sight gags thrown in for good measure. Make no mistake, the plot is also wildly over the top and far-fetched from its very core and in almost every step along the way; moreover, there's a certain repetitiveness in the humor, scene writing, and themes that becomes overbearing after a time. This film shows its hand early on, and continues to play the same hand again and again. Yet 'Princess Protection Program' is all the same consistently amusing and charming (if also ruthlessly cheesy at times). Apart from DeYoung's writing and Allison Liddi-Brown's able direction, that good cheer owes much to its young cast; even those in supporting roles bring gratifying mirth to the picture - while seasoned veterans like Dale Dickey and Tom Verica serve as steady anchors. Above all, Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato are fantastic scene partners, clearly having fun and reveling in the ham-handedness, and it's a joy to watch them.
Capable contributions from crew behind the scenes ensure that this looks good and sounds good; it's solidly made. Of course that should hardly be unexpected - Disney is no slouch when it comes to production values. The only real question is how prepared any one viewer is to engage with a feature that's aimed toward a young audience, with all the gauche nonsense that invariably goes hand in hand with that bent. There's no denying that 'Princess Protection Program' can be a bit much at times, though at the same time, it carries no pretenses about being anything it's not. For anyone who can get on board with the common, relatively unsophisticated, and kid-friendly slant of the title, it manages to be a good time. Recommendable above all for Disney aficionados or fans of Lovato or Gomez, this is a pleasant way to spend 90 minutes.
With familiarity and kitsch firmly in mind it's easy enough to just relax and enjoy the silliness. Annie DeYoung's screenplay is built on warm, lighthearted situational comedy, with a few clever lines and sight gags thrown in for good measure. Make no mistake, the plot is also wildly over the top and far-fetched from its very core and in almost every step along the way; moreover, there's a certain repetitiveness in the humor, scene writing, and themes that becomes overbearing after a time. This film shows its hand early on, and continues to play the same hand again and again. Yet 'Princess Protection Program' is all the same consistently amusing and charming (if also ruthlessly cheesy at times). Apart from DeYoung's writing and Allison Liddi-Brown's able direction, that good cheer owes much to its young cast; even those in supporting roles bring gratifying mirth to the picture - while seasoned veterans like Dale Dickey and Tom Verica serve as steady anchors. Above all, Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato are fantastic scene partners, clearly having fun and reveling in the ham-handedness, and it's a joy to watch them.
Capable contributions from crew behind the scenes ensure that this looks good and sounds good; it's solidly made. Of course that should hardly be unexpected - Disney is no slouch when it comes to production values. The only real question is how prepared any one viewer is to engage with a feature that's aimed toward a young audience, with all the gauche nonsense that invariably goes hand in hand with that bent. There's no denying that 'Princess Protection Program' can be a bit much at times, though at the same time, it carries no pretenses about being anything it's not. For anyone who can get on board with the common, relatively unsophisticated, and kid-friendly slant of the title, it manages to be a good time. Recommendable above all for Disney aficionados or fans of Lovato or Gomez, this is a pleasant way to spend 90 minutes.