THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL

US, 2022, 148 minutes, Colour.

Sofia Wylie, Sophia Anne Caruso, Charlize Theron, Kerry Washington, Laurence Fishburne, Michelle Yeoh, Peter Serafininowicz, Mike Heap, Kit Young, Patty Lupone, Jamie Flatters, Ally Cubb. Voice (Cate Blanchett)

Directed by Paul Feig.

Probably most reviewers have noted it and many of the audiences will have said it: this is a fantasy story in the school, reminding viewers of the Harry Potter stories.

However, this began life as a young adult novel, written by chum mean, who is also written the screenplay, coproducers and peers. And, it is a Young Adult novel directed more towards a female audience than male. The main characters in this film are female, two young women who become students at the School of Good and Evil and the principal teachers at the School. There are male characters, of course, including the School Principal (and the visualising of his history with his brother) and several of the students.

Some of the readers of the novel have been very critical of this film version. However, it has been written by the novelist himself. It is reported that his way of constructing the screenplay was to highlight several episodes in the novel, single out, dramatise them, leaving other episodes behind (and the film does run for 2 ½ hours).

The prologue sets the tone, a conflict between two brothers, one good, one evil, their competitiveness with bouts of sword fighting, betrayal and death. Their aim had to create a School to highlight the balance between Good and Evil.

But the main protagonists are two young women, Agatha (Sofia Wylie) and Sophie (Sofia and Caruso), Agatha and her mother scoffed at as witches in the village, Sofia wanting to leave and change the world. And they take the opportunity, Agatha initially unwilling, to be transported to the School – but, Sofia dropped into the School of Evil, Agatha into the Good.

There are a lot of scenes with the fellow students, those in the School of Good, too good to be true, but the girls, with their fashion and glamour, very prissy, often “mean girls”. But, of course, the characters in the School of Evil, wearing black and with Gothic look, are also hostile of their very nature.

Adult audiences will be interested to see Laurence Fishburne as the principal of the school, Charlize Theron, smouldering Lee evil and Kerry Washington, dressed like a fairy Queen, along with Michelle Yeoh as the lecturer for Beauty for the Good.

Which means that a lot of the action is Agatha and her attempts to escape from the School of the Good, Sophia clashing with the Evil, and the solution that if Sophia kisses a young man with true love (and there is a sword fighting candidate, Tedros, Jamie Flatters), they will be free to return home.

There is commentary by the Storian, the book with gold quill writing the events in a book as they happen. Storian is voiced by Cate Blanchett.

Not so easy, plenty of magic and spells, Agatha gradually transformed, Sophie coming under the power of the school principal who has dark and deep secrets).

With the plot developments at the school (and some memories of Harry Potter and what happened at Hogwarts), the film does become more interesting as it goes on. And not quite the ending we had imagined.

1. The title? Fantasy? Expectations?
2. The inevitable comparisons with Harry Potter? But the Young Adult focus on characters? Issues? And the appeal to the female audience more than the male audience? Characters, issues?
3. The world of fantasy, the opening, the struggle between the two brothers and the later Reappearances? The comparison with the ordinariness of the village and village life, overtones of witches? The visuals of the school, the vastness of the exteriors, the differences in the interiors, light and good, dark and evil? Costumes and decor? Special effects? The musical score?
4. The narration, the voice of the Storian, Agatha and her comment on the voice-over and the storytelling? The visualising of the book, the quill, the golden quill, the writing on the parchment? And the irony at the end of the quill as a weapon?
5. The two brothers, rivalries, working together for a long time, the jealous brother, the fighting and the swords, the expressions of envy, the fight, over the cliff, the audience seeing the dead and evil brother, the revelation of the evil brother’s survival, growing older, the headmaster of the school, his disguise, his policies, manifestations? The plan, to rule the school, to destroy the school, subjugating everybody, the choice of Sophie, the good, but selecting her for the school of evil, the temptations, the hostilities, subjugating her, her death? Confronted by Tedros, confronted by Agatha, her destroying him?
6. The transition to the village, Agatha, criticisms of her mother and potions, accusations of witchcraft? Labelling Agatha, the young men mocking her? Sofia, her parents, home, wanting to move away, her ambitions to do good and change the world? The close friendship between the two young women? Sophie and her plan? Agatha and her reluctance, eventually joining her, the travels, the magic, the black creature pursuing them, the winged creature, dropping them in the pool, the reaction of the students, the allotment to each of the schools?
7. Symbolic names: Sophie meaning wise, Agatha meaning good.?
8. The philosophy of the school, the selection of candidates, past graduates and achievements? Black associated with the School of Evil, clothes and make up, the touch of the sinister? The personality of the girls, fairytale mean girls, the young men, the cheeky boy approaching Sophie? The treatment of Sophie by the girls, on the edge of the balcony? Hostility – but the nature of evil?
9. Agatha, finding herself in the School of Good, remembering people mocking her, as a witch? The light in the School, costumes, make up, the presumption of the prissy girls? Their hostility towards Agatha?
10. The introduction of the head of the school, presiding, seemingly balanced? The rules of the school to be obeyed, no exception? Lady Lesso, Charlize Theron and her presence, her look, hairstyle, colour of her uniform dress, embodying instruction in evil? The contrast with Kerry Washington, Professor Dovey, dressed as the fairy Queen, sweetness and light? The interactions between the two?
11. The separation between the two schools, yet the encounters, especially in the dining room and choices of places? Overseen by the two principals? The demonstrations by the students, achievements, magic? The nature of spells?
12. Young adult and teenage romance, Tedros and the other young men, warriors and protests? Attraction? Tedros and his fight against the one-eyed creature? Acclaim? Sophie and the attraction? The building up of the theory of true love in the redemptive kiss?
13. Agatha and Sophie, in their respective schools, Sophie having to look dark and sinister yet her blonde hair? Agatha, the change in her hair, the dresses, her manner? Living up to her name, knowing that true love was the key to goodness? Her urging Sophie to surrender in a kiss of love and release the two of them?
14. Tedros, the attraction to Agatha? Agatha becoming more and more transformed into the good, but with common sense and balance? Agatha not realising the attraction?
15. The various lessons, the episode at the pool, people looking into the pool, the girl sent 10 drops, true love? The contrast with Agatha, drawing out the cocoon, the young girl, her younger self?
16. The ritual of the pricking of the fingers, for spells? The good not feeling any pain? The evil indulging in their pain? The effect on Agatha, the effect on Sophie? And their later using their powers?
17. Agatha, initially seeing the apparition of the evil brother and the spattering of blood? Sophie seeing him, the revelation in the mirror, his talk, his plans?
18. The testing for Sophie and Tedros, competitive, the teachers agreeing, entering the forest, Sophie, the flowers in the previous experiment, their ferocious mouths? Her fears? Having seen the scarecrow in the lesson? It’s coming alive? Tedros, coming to Sophie, having to fight with the scarecrow alive? Agatha, transform herself into a bird, coming into the forest, trying to help Sophie, Tedros, his sword, Sophie not helping him, Agatha helping him?
19. The consequences for Sophie, disillusionment, the formal kiss? Her being open to the overture was of the evil brother? The transformation, arrogance, coming into the group, dress, walk, confrontations?
20. The other members of the staff, the instructor for the nature of beauty, kissing? The strange creature coming out of the tree, opening the gate, the guidance into the forest?
21. The buildup to the confrontation, Sophie and his spurning of Agatha? Agatha and her sadness? loving Sophie and wanting to help her? The evil brother, getting the young men as his squadron, but reducing all the staff to miniatures? His encounters with Sophie, the collapse of the buildings of the school? Sophie, Agatha and her influence, coming to help her, Sophie and her wounds, the blood, Agatha’s tears, resuscitating her?
22. The fight between the evil brother and Tedros, impaling him? The brother and the comment on the writing of the story, the finishing of the writing, Agatha’s grave, yet the voice-over, the sword, the golden quill as a weapon, the fight, Sophie’s wound, Agatha and the death of the evil brother?
23. Harmony restored – to some extent? The future of the School? Choices for Agatha and Sophie, Tedros and his love for Agatha, Sophie letting her stay behind, but Agatha deciding to leave with Sophie, the going back home, sitting again under the tree, the dray was all the young people mocking them, and the magic spell with the birds and droppings?
24. The voice-over: a new beginning?