Queen Mal and King Ben sail off with Jay and Evie to form alliances with distant lands. They made Uma headmaster of Auradon Prep and Fairy Godmother the President of Auradon University. Uma wastes no time implementing changes to Auradon Prep and sends out the first acceptance letter for the new semester. It's to Princess Red, daughter of the Queen of Hearts. Fairy Godmother says no because the Queen refused to join the Auradon alliance and tried to take over. So, King Beast and Queen Belle sealed the rabbit hole and refused anyone from Wonderland (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). Uma wants to keep her promise and allow all kids to attend, even those from Wonderland. It's what Carlos would have wanted. Fairy Godmother sends the invitation to Wonderland.
King Charming practices swordplay with his daughter, Princess Chloe. Cinderella joins them and dances with Charming while they reminisce on their first dance at Castlecoming. Chloe gags at their displays of affection, but Cinderella tells Chloe that love is good (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). Cinderella gifts Chloe glass sneakers for her perfect grades, volunteer work, and kindness. She accompanies Chloe to Auradon Prep while Charming visits Prince Chad at Auradon University to watch Chad play Tourney.
Princess Red wreaks havoc through the royal plaza of Wonderland as a masked vigilante. Before the guards capture her, Maddox Hatter saves her and brings her to his lab. He warns Red to stop defying her mother. Red doesn't want to be evil or a queen. She wants to forge a path for herself. Then, Maddox shows Red his latest invention: a pocket watch time machine (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). It can send a person back to a pivotal moment, but Maddox informs Red it can be dangerous. So, he refuses to let Red have it. Red hugs him and lifts the pocket watch before the Queen of Hearts summons her. At the plaza, the Queen of Hearts demands to know why the guard let the vigilante escape. He doesn't have an answer. So, the Queen forces Red to decide his fate. Red comes up with light-hearted punishments. Before coming up with something more horrendous, Uma's invitation arrives. Red assumes her mother won't let her attend and prepares a rebuttal. To Red's surprise, the Queen accepts.
Princess Red, the Queen of Hearts, Cinderella, and Chloe arrive for orientation. Then, Cinderella and the Queen lock eyes. Cinderella asks the Queen to let the past go and let love into her heart. The Queen believes love is a weakness and other's fear keeps you strong. Chloe asks Cinderella what happened. Cinderella briefly explains but wants to look forward. The Queen says that someone's played a cruel prank on her during Castlecoming, and she will never forgive them.
Headmaster Uma introduces herself to the parents, students, and faculty. However, Uma sees she doesn't have the Queen's attention. She asks the Queen to put her cards away. Then, the Queen throws them into the sky, and the cards transform into soldiers. Red realizes the Queen isn't their to enroll her but to stage a coup. Red begs her mother to stop, but the Queen shows Red the looking glass. Their rule over Auradon is preordained. When Cinderella doesn't kneel to the Queen, the Queen asks Red to take control. Red pleads with Cinderella to swear allegiance, but Cinderella won't. With the Queen's encouragement, Red declares Cinderella guilty of treason. It's off with her head. Red grabs the pocket watch to time travel to take her mother's cards, and Chloe grasps her sword to battle the Queen. Red tries to stop Chloe and triggers the pocket watch. Everyone disappears.
Red and Chloe see a girl poorly practicing magic in the quad, saying 'bibbidi bobbidi boo.' They realize it's the teenage Fairy Godmother, now known as Fay. Red and Chloe battle over the watch but decide to join forces. They run through the school, and Principal Merlin stops them. Before Chloe can tell the truth, Red lies and says they are transfer students. Merlin assumes he lost their paperwork and tells them to hurry to honors alchemy class. Red and Chloe stop cold when they see their mothers, Bridget and Ella. Ella disdains the rich and royal, while Bridget is delightful, but Ella is her only friend. Bridget made magical flamingo feather cupcakes to win friends. But Bridget warns Red to eat only one. Red can't believe how kind Bridget is, and Chloe doesn't understand why Ella is jaded.
Red and Chloe follow Bridget and Ella after class while Bridget and Ella discuss the Castlecoming dance in two days. Then, the current VKs - Maleficent, Hades, Morgie, and Hook - enter with their leader, Uliana. Uliana's elder sister, Ursula, was the biggest bully in school. So, Uliana was to be meaner to make her mark. She grabs the feathers off Bridget's cupcake and eats them all, not heeding Bridget's warning. Uliana's face transforms into a flamingo's head. Uliana jumps into enchanted water before the transformation completes. She vows revenge on Bridget at Castlecoming. Red grasps they were sent back in time to stop the prank that changed her mom. She looks into the looking glass and sees that Cinderella is dead and the Queen captured King Charming. Red and Chloe must stop Uliana to save Cinderella's life and Red's future.
Serving as the sequel to Beyond The Isle of the Lost by Melissa de la Cruz, this fourth installment of the Descendants franchise introduces new worlds, students, and villains while giving the audience a glimpse of the past (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). It reaches into the Disney vault to invite older fans to the future of fairy tales. The opening sequence addresses the main characters' absence while paying homage to Cameron Boyce. You will tear up. Then, Red storms onto your screen with a song that will immerse you into the dark world of Wonderland. Unlike the kids from the Isle, Red doesn't want to be a tyrant. She dreams of receiving the Queen's love through acceptance, not darkness. She wants to change the Queen's heart, not follow in her footsteps. Chloe lives in King Charming's kingdom with rewards for goodness. Her parents sing, dance, and love openly. They teach her to do the same. Chloe, seeing Cinderella's teen angst and coldness, throws Chloe for a loop. Chloe learns a lesson from Ella about getting your hands dirty for good. While the storyline and the songs are flawless, you will want more to the story. The previous films had a twist: Hades waking Audrey or Uma coming to the dance. But this one film doesn't. The conclusion is the end. However, Uma warns the story isn't over because tearing the fabric of time has consequences. This installment brings joy, songs, and lessons like its predecessors but feels half-done without the twist.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
It's not an easy job Uma but I hope you find it fulfilling - Fairy Godmother
I'm sure Carlos would want it. So don't do it for me. Do it in honor of him - Uma
Off with his hat - Red
She wasn't always this way - Maddox
No, that's delicious - King Charming
Your father's never cared about what other people think - Cinderella
These are some big shoes to fill - Chloe
It's better to be feared than loved. Love ain't it - Queen of Hearts
I will destroy her - Uliana
Do you want a hug - Bridget
You're a nice girl but your princess is showing - Ella
You're looking a little pink - Hook
Yeah, someone should help her - Hades
That makes you braver than I am - Prince Charming
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