A Fun and Silly YA Fantasy That Worked (School For Good and Evil review)

Just when you think fairy tales and magic could only get more cliche, School For The Good and Evil steps out for a tackle at being the next fantasy epic for a young adult audience. With an A-list cast that overacts within reason, Good and Evil is an adaptation of the famous book series by Soman Chaimani, a book series I never had an interest in checking out. But I fear that I will end up heading out to buy these books, like many people who forgot that this was premiering on Netflix this past week. 

Good and Evil centers around Agatha and Sophie, two friends who come from different upbringings, with both seeming too stereotypical for modern audiences (pr readers). They are then swept to the secret school where heroes are taught to defend while the villains are taught to attack. However, Sophie aspires to be a princess and is disappointed when Agatha ends up in Good while she is dropped in Evil. Agatha just wants to go home to her Mom, where she and her best friend can carry out their normal lives, despite having to deal with annoyances and unfair duties. 

As the two discover that they are where they belong, the fun begins not only with the foundation of Agatha and Sophie's friendship being challenged but when the secrets of the school and its origins unravel as well as questioning the rules of being good or evil. The themes that intensify the fact that the world isn't so black and white are truly done properly in this adaptation. As someone who hasn't read the source material, the introductory course on the world and characters that are meant to be explored further had enough time and exposition to deal with them all within its whopping 2-and-a-half-hour runtime. It is extremely surprising to see an adaptation, let alone in film format after so long be done this carefully. Sure, the first 10 minutes do make you wonder if you should give this chance at all, but I guarantee you wouldn't regret sticking around. 

The visual effects are a little wonky but it made up for its compelling narrative. It may resemble another fantasy book series that I have read by actor turned bestseller, Chris Colfer but something about Good and Evil that should appeal better towards a mature younger audience as we are dealing with teens going to classes and dating each other. Little did I know that the narrative took many dark turns, constantly one-upping each twist that comes your way. Good and Evil may not be completely original but it dares to be fun with no restrictions as to how far and silly, and for the right reasons. 

Despite the cringe-y needle drops that bode well once you get used to it, there aren't many flaws that could deem Good and Evil unwatchable no matter how jarring they were. It is eye-popping, witty, and gripping even if you feel like you're watching the first Harry Potter film where stakes are dismissable. But do keep your eye open for some surprising elements that could make you think twice as to what your expectations are for a young adult book adaptation and like Harry Potter, it is pretty darn worth being invested in. 

The School For Good and Evil is a delight and I can only hope for Netflix to further adapt this series into a franchise leading it to be their next possible hit. Considering how many people have watched this in the last 3 days, not considering the unjust reviews that have been floating around the film due to Paul Feig's involvement in the film, this is only the beginning for more of Agatha and Sophie.