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Some people love following the stories of princes and princesses—the fairy tale ones and the real-life ones. In both cases, the attention generally falls on the first born—on the one who will someday sit on the throne—while the other children seem to have more freedom. But Disney’s Secret Society of Second-Born Royals gives younger royals their own adventure.
Secret Society of Second-Born Royals follows the story of Sam (Peyton Elizabeth Lee), the younger princess of the tiny European nation of Illyria. As her older sister, Eleanor (Ashley Liao), prepares for her coronation, trouble-making Sam is sent off to what she’s told is summer school. Really, though, it’s a school for second-born royals, who, it turns out, are given super powers that help them protect the world while their older siblings rule it. Sam and her four classmates are tasked with learning to control their newfound powers. But when a dangerous criminal escapes from prison, the students are brought into the middle of the battle.
While Disney may be known for its happily-ever-after fairy tales, Secret Society of Second-Born Royals is far from the typical fairy tale fluff. Sam isn’t a pretty princess who’s waiting for her prince to come; she’s a rebellious rocker who sometimes takes to the streets to protest against the monarchy. She’s a little rough around the edges, and she tends to clash with her fellow royals—and sometimes with her instructor, too. But in this secret society, she finds a place where she might just fit in.
With its simple story and its lovable band of misfit characters, this Disney+ release does sometimes feel a bit like the old Disney Channel Original, though it’s more polished and much less cheesy. It has plenty of action and a little bit of comedy—and, best of all, it gives a bunch of kids super powers and puts the fate of the world in their hands. It may not be an award-worthy action movie, but the ensemble cast is likable, and the empowering adventure is just plain fun to watch. Kids will love imagining themselves in the shoes of these young royal heroes, and even parents won’t mind watching it with them.
While movie night with the family isn’t what it was a year ago, there are still plenty of fun options for family viewing at home. Secret Society of Second-Born Royals may not have the edge-of-your-seat action and big-budget effects of a Marvel movie, but younger viewers will still enjoy Disney’s superhero princess adventure.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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