Secret Society of Second-Born Royals (2020)

Secret Society of Second-Born Royals (2020)

5/10

Starring

Peyton Elizabeth Lee

Niles Fitch

Isabella Blake-Thomas

Olivia Deeble

Directed by Anna Mastro

There is this need for streaming platforms to create their own a movie franchise and not spend so much in doing it, so they can churn out sequels. With its mouthful of a title, this superhero movie is packed with tamed special effects. The director must have had Disney Channel fans in mind because even young adults familiar with the MCU will find this far from impressive.

The main issue is that the whole movie feels like an elongated pilot. It’s like dropping Lizzie McGuire and her friends into a world of superheroes and giving them powers.

You’d think with Marvel under their belt, Disney wouldn’t feel the need to create another superhero movie, even for Disney+. They have countless Marvel titles and stories to explore. Let’s be real—Disney has made more than ten PG-13 films full of class, and this movie pales in comparison.

Aimed at children, the movie introduces a world where second-born royals discover they have superpowers. The story focuses on Sam, who hates being a royal and is rebellious in more ways than one. After getting busted for a rebellious act, she’s sent to summer school, where she meets other second-born royals. They’re all told they have powers.

We’re then introduced to their teacher/mentor, who trains them to use and develop their abilities. The summer class features all the stereotypical characters you’d expect in a teen movie like this. Please, set aside any hopes for thrills—this is a cheesy setup, stuffed with clichés and a predictably guessable plot. The only surprise was Sam’s mother’s role in the whole secret society. Even the backstabbing I anticipated felt predictable; I just wasn’t sure which member of the second-born society would do it.

The movie spends nearly an hour on training scenes—talk about not knowing what to do once you’ve introduced the actors. Director Anna Mastro made us sit through these teens training for so long, and it ultimately didn’t pay off when the bad guy finally showed up. The way the villain was dealt with, along with the events surrounding his accomplice, felt like watching a subpar TV pilot.

The villain’s primary motivation is revenge against Sam’s mother, which you’d need to really care about to watch the movie through to the end.

The movie wraps up with the teens embarking on another mission. Let’s hope Disney spares us the pain and keeps that mission to themselves. Thank you.

You can catch this movie streaming on Disney+.