Descendants: The Rise of Red
By Jennifer Green,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Positive messages, peril in overstuffed franchise reboot.
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Descendants: The Rise of Red
Community Reviews
Based on 6 parent reviews
A more cinematic Descendants flick
Don't brother watch this movie
What's the Story?
Red (Kylie Cantrall) is a rebel, mostly because her overcontrolling mom, the Queen of Hearts (Rita Ora), treats her like a lost cause in DESCENDANTS: THE RISE OF RED. When former villain kid Uma (China Anne McClain) becomes principal of Auradon Prep, she decides to invite Red to study there. The Queen of Hearts allows it, but has an ulterior, evil motive. It's up to Red and Chloe (Malia Baker), daughter of Cinderella (Brandy Norwood) and Charming (Paolo Montalban), to travel back in time and try to change the past for their mothers, teens Bridget (Ruby Rose Turner) and Ella (Morgan Dudley), to fix the future.
Is It Any Good?
A cocktail of fairy tale references, literary characters, mythology, hip-hop music, and high school drama, this series has its fans but is also difficult to jump into cold. That's not just because of throughlines on stories and characters in Descendants: The Rise of Red. In fact, this film introduces new characters and actors (watch especially for Ted Lasso's Higgins as Merlin). Newcomers might find the blend of elements in the franchise a bit overwhelming. There are still positive messages to be found, skilled dancing on display, and other recognizable themes for fans.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Descendants: The Rise of Red continues the storyline from the earlier trilogy of Descendants films. What's new? What's different or the same?
Which musical numbers were your favorites? Did you recognize any songs from the earlier films?
What is the source material behind the main characters in these films? Where could you find more information about this?
What are the key lessons that Red and Chloe learn when they go back in time? How do these change their own characters as well as their parents' destiny?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: July 12, 2024
- Cast: Kylie Cantrall , Malia Baker , Morgan Dudley
- Director: Jennifer Phang
- Inclusion Information: Female directors, Asian directors, Female actors, Latino actors, Black actors
- Studio: Disney+
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More , Book Characters , Fairy Tales , Friendship , Music and Sing-Along
- Run time: 91 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: July 9, 2024
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