![]() Sam goes from being prickly with her new friends to being willing to do anything for them, over the space of one training montage… where they’re all pretty much training individually, since their powers don’t really lend themselves to teamwork. But the movie’s downfall comes from trying to juggle too many emotional arcs and relationships, while not laying enough groundwork for them to feel fulfilling. ![]() The conflict, which involves a mysterious escaped criminal with a grand scheme, is exciting and full of plot twists. While the setup is fun and dynamic, Secret Society of Second-Born Royals falls into familiar pitfalls: after the characters are introduced and the powers revealed, Mastro and writers Alex Litvak and Andrew Green can’t quite pull all those working parts into a satisfying climax and conclusion. It elevates the young protagonists to be just as important as their older counterparts - but also still indulges in fun moments, like Roxana being swept up into the air while clinging to a treadmill during training. The underground sanctum that Catherine shows Sam, for instance, feels more like something out of a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie than like the Toontown attraction it could be. ![]() Secret Society of Second-Born Royals keeps the wacky moments, but with more polish, dressing up kid-heightened fantasies in a slightly more serious veneer. Disney Channel Original movies play up fantasies of kids saving the world, using reality-bending logic to set up kid-centric action, but usually without much finesse in the special effects or production design. Kid-friendly action movies don’t always get the budget to make them into grand spectacles. The rest of the reveals are just as fun, and each of the royals have different struggles with their powers and personalities. But for someone so public-facing and into her own image, that alone offers a delicious juxtaposition. Social-media-obsessed Princess Roxanna (Olivia Deeble) has the most traditional power: she can turn invisible. It’s a fun sequence to make their powers manifest - and their loud personalities clash. The society’s trainer, Professor James Morrow (Skylar Astin), tosses the five recruits into a laser obstacle course to see what they can do. The rest of the kids in Secret Society of Second-Born Royals are all unique in personality and powers. That also lands her in summer school, which she quickly learns is a cover-up for the secret society. Overwhelmed by the sheer amount of noise and sensations at the concert, she panics, pulls a fire alarm, and winds up in jail. Her super-senses manifest after she sneaks out of a royal function and into a club. ![]() The filmmakers do a great job of simultaneously introducing Sam and her powers. The best part of the “kids with cool abilities” genre is often the beginning, as the characters meet each other and figure out who they are and what they’re doing. The first half-hour or so of Secret Society of Second-Born Royals is exhilarating. As the coronation of her older sister Eleanor (Ashley Liao), looms on the horizon, Sam learns to put her powers to the test. She and several other second-born royals are summoned by a mysterious organization dedicated to keeping peace around the world, and led by Sam’s mother, Catherine (Élodie Yung). The premise of director Anna Mastro’s movie is simpler than the wordy title suggests: rebellious second-born Princess Sam (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) learns she has super-heightened senses.
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