Princess Protection Program

Adults be warned: if you don't have kids, or if you don't enjoy yourself when they do, then you need not watch this movie. If you want to feel young again, go watch Star Trek or something.

This is Disney in its lightest form, without pain, just some bullying at most. This goes for the school environment as well as for the international political environment. Sure, Mr. Evil himself is about as scary as the lion Alex in Madagascar. He did a good job though, learning from cartoon characters, which I'm sure is a Disney trademark.

Also, don't focus on the international part. I speak both French and Spanish, and it hurts me to see them massacred so much. On the other hand, it makes me think I'd make excellent royalty. Apart from the caring part, that is.

The acting is not as bad as described by others. Actually, everybody seems to be having a good time, hoping it wears off to the audience. It works, sometimes. I liked the camera-work, the attention paid to dressing details, the displays of dignity and style. Also, when I said that it was a light movie, I also meant that there's no scenes at night. Vampires abstain.

Nah, it's not like this movie is advisory entertainment, but when they throw all these kid musicals on your plate, it's nice to have something else for dinner. But, again, be in the right mood, or with the right (very young) people.

I must confess that I didn't cared for watching this film after seeing the previews for it, my thought was "just another way for Disney to milk out their stars". However, recently I saw this movie randomly - and got pleasantly surprised. «Princess Protection Program» is undoubtedly the best DC movie I've seen, surpassing all their recent films like «Camp Rock», the «High School Musical» flicks, «Hatching Pete» and «Dadnapped».

A thing that most DC movies have in common that they're pretty soulless; They seem like they're all the same, with mediocre acting, predictable story lines and squeaky clean love subplots. Their films has rarely soul and emotion (even though one shouldn't take for granted that the theatrical released films has heart and emotion, cause that isn't always the case either). But «Princess Protection Program» was quite cute and enjoyable.

The story is a little cheesy, but still works pretty well and the high school clichés during this film doesn't feel worn out. The cinematography by David A. Makin is quite lovely, making the locations look beautiful and the score by John Van Tongeren is also good. And most of the songs are catchy.

Disney has casted two of their up-and-coming stars to the main roles (the replacements of Miley Cyrus, if you will); Selena Gomez as Carter and Demi Lovato as Princess Rosalinda. Their interaction and friendship on the screen is credible, without being overdone. They both pull of their roles pretty well. Of course since this is a DC movie you can't expect a profound acting, but none of the performances feels overacted. Demi Lovato has improved since «Camp Rock» and has never looked more beautiful than in this film, with her rose-red lips and stunning dresses. She struggles a bit with timing on her emotional moments, but still carries her Princess role with grace and dignity. While Selena, which is wonderful as Alex in «Wizards of Waverly Place», fits the role of a tomboy surprisingly well (I had never pictured her as a tomboy). Of the adult cast, Tom Verica has good charisma as Carter's father.

The film was enjoyable, but the only thing that disappointed me, just like another reviewer on this site pointed out, was the ending, which could been more suspenseful, cause it was leading to an thrilling climax. Otherwise, I highly recommend «Princess Protection Program». The film may not be innovative or Oscar-worthy, but has the mayor ingredient that most DC films lack: heart and soul. Please make more movies like this, Disney.

This is a pretty good formulaic movie from the Disney people as a princess gets placed in a witness relocation program and relocated to a teen's family in Louisiana. She has to try and fit into high school life with fairly funny results. Selena Gomez and Demi Lovato make a good team in the lead roles. My favorite scenes are the hamburger scene and the yogurt store scene. You might like this if you are a Disney fan.

** 1/2 out of ****

Witness Protection Program is the first Disney film I watched for 2009. Like many other Disney films, this is educational, entertaining, albeit highly predictable. No points in figuring out the ending, but it's still nice to watch the entire film, to see how the film progress.

I am not giving any plots away, because doing that, then you wouldn't have to watch the film altogether.

The film is educational. It deals about father-daughter relationship, about growing up, and about how perception makes people treat others differently.

Teens, especially are quick to judge a person simply based on how, say, a person dresses, or how a person talks. Wear a thick glasses people may think that he/she is geeky/nerd. Have a stud in the nose, and one quickly judge that he/she is a cousin/niece of the cow family.

But it is not that simple. It is not clear cut, black-and-white thing, after all. No one can judge a person without knowing the other person first.

And this film deals with exactly just that. About how a princess is immediately perceived as being shallow, and does not know how to do chores. It teaches us that it doesn't matter who we are, what color our skin are, what language we speak, what matters is what's inside.

Enough typing. Bring your pre-teens to watch this film, and impart onto them that they should not judge quickly their friends, to take the time to know others better before making their judgment.

Should have given this film an 8, but I think it deserves only a 7 because of the highly predictable ending.

Lovato and Gomez are great actresses in a movie that overall is about as Disney Channel Original as you can get, but it'd be unfair to say it's bad. It's not, it's just kinda cute and charming.