The Swan Princess: Kingdom Of Music

The Swan Princess: Kingdom of Music is the 2019 computer-animated film produced by Crest Animation, directed by Richard Rich. This is the 9th of the Swan Princess franchise.

Plot
In a faraway kingdom, the Cathay Empire ruled by the Divine Emperor of Cathay and father of the royal twins: Prince Li and Princess Mei Li. Prince Li was going to sing at the Swan Princess Music Festival Competition along with the other groups who would also join the Festival. Princess Mei Li had a boyfriend named Chen who was under a spell forced to live as Dragon. Their father, the Emperor, gives a present to Li to bring it as a gift to the Swan Princess (Princess Odette). Overhearing the conversation she runs out to meet Chen to tell how they can break the evil spell with Princess Odette's help. Chen gains his human form by sunset for only a few moments. But Chen disagrees at first thinking that it's only a dream or something else.

At the Chambers, Prince Li is preparing his things to sail to the Swan Princess Festival. Li feels so sure that he will win and he wished that his sister may come to see him sing. But Mei Li refuses. The next day Mei Li stows away and sneaks inside one of the lounges from her brother. Ru his loyal friend and servant noticed that but he didn't say any word. While hiding Mei Li watches Chen flying close behind the ship.

Meanwhile, at the Kingdom, Queen Uberta is observing how Lord Rogers shows the participants the statue of Scully, the brave Scullion who saved Princess Odette from the Forbidden Arts and so many dangerous moments. Lucas has now grown into a young man and meets Alise who is as she is practicing on the harp. Lucas gives Alise tulips the same flowers he gave to her when they were children. As Prince Li arrives at the Kingdom while Alise and Lucas were playing but she has to leave to meet the Prince. Prince Li gives Odette the box and Alise gives him a cattail which he inhaled the dust causing him to cough and Alise laughs at him making Prince Li very angry. Mei Li sees Odette and she knew she is the one who can help. Alise and Prince Li don't seem to like each other. That night Mei Li enters the Castle to search for Odette where Chen also was. Mei Li explains to Odette and Derek about the spell. They promise to do whatever they can to help them.

Soon the contestants are presented by Chamberlain. Chamberlain announces Princess Odette, she explains the winner will sing at the coming of age ball of her daughter. Humbelani, one of the finalists is the first one to make his performance and tires his best and when ended his show everyone enjoyed it but Alise unintentionally says out of loud to Lucas that everyone could win except Prince Li and the audience goes quiet. Li leaves feeling hurt and very angry.

Queen Uberta tells Alise that she must apologize to Li for her behavior. So the next morning Alise and Prince Li meet and as he sees Alise's harp, saying that he had something similar in his kingdom. Prince Li plays the Harp, but he explains to Alise smiling: "Our strings are arranged the opposite way." Alise is very surprised by the way he plays the instrument and listens to him. Li tells her that his father made him and his sister practice every day but Mei Li refused to continue, seeing it as too difficult. Alise joins playing the harp with him witch, Li is surprised to find they have something in common, and both play in sync, leading them to fall in love with each other. As they finish Alise apologized to Li for the way she acted and how she treated him, and Li decided they start over by introducing himself again and Alise welcomes Li, leading him to kiss her hand. Lucas witnesses this and becomes jealous.

Meanwhile, Mei Li, Odette, Derek, and Chen go to Swan Lake the place where Princess Derek confessed his romantic feelings to Princess Odette when she was under Rorthbart's swan spell. Odette and Derek explain that he was tricked by Bridget causing Odette to die. Using the same words that Derek said to Odette, Mei Li tries to break the spell but nothing works and Chen is forced to turn back into a dragon.

Derek thinks that the only one who can help them is Scully. Scully agrees to help them as well and he found something to break the spell. He needed the Blood of a dragon. So Derek tries to use an arrow and some blood left Chen's body. As he drinks his own blood, he's still a dragon.

Scully must go to the Cathy Empire to find something. An evil sorceress was the one who probably cursed Chen. Scully tries to read something in Chinese. As he remembers what was written, He tells Derek that he should write what Scully has seen. As Mei Li reads it, she is horrified that a child has to sacrifice something special. Alise and Prince Li are now good friends and when one of the finalists finished the performance, both take a walk near the lake. Prince Li explains that he never knew his mother, she died when he was very young, and Alise had lost her mother as well. Li discovers that Alise's adoptive parents are the prince and princess (Prince Derek and Princess Odette), and she had lost her first parents.

Li gives Alise his condolences and Alise admits she wished to know her mother and she misses her father every day but to get a second mother and father that are so kind and loving, her life is much kinder than cruel to her, and Li tells her she deserves good fortune. Alise wanted Li to explain about his father and he tells her that his father loves him, but he can be very strict and that his twin sister defied his wishes and he broke her heart in return. Alise and Li were wrong about each other and as he is about to leave, he takes her hand and bids her goodnight.

The next day, Prince Li and Alise are horse riding together and Alise is impressed by his riding tricks and when both are stopping near a bridge, they wanted to try the first kiss but Lucas, who is still jealous, he interrupts their romantic moment. Alise found out that Lucas was the one who interrupted them. Alise said that she now liked Prince Li which left Lucas heartbroken because he thought that he and Alise had something more. Back at the castle, Li tells Ru, that he's in love with Alise. He says at first she was insufferable, but Ru uses the correct word to help his master, suffer-able. Ru reminds Li of the promise he had given to his father and Li is certain of it that he will the competition and also the heart of Alise.

Soon the competition is about to start but Chen is still a dragon and Mei Li is unhappy. They tried everything to break the spell. Mei Li screams that she will surrender her love for Chen which saddens him and says that Mei Li must find someone else to love and leaves. Mei Li collapses and Odette and Derek take her to the castle.

At the finals, Li is the last one to sing and he sings a Chinese ballad for Alise. Odette makes the announcement and the winner is Prince Li. Prince Li is very pleased and very happy to fulfill the promise that he made to his father and, Alise runs to him giving him a big hug and tells him she knew he would win. Mei Li is happy but sad at the same time. Prince Li is now the winner and so he will sing at Alise's birthday. Lucas was then determined to win Alise's heart back and asked Lord Rogers to teach him to dance. Unbeknownst to them, Prince Li was watching them and heard that Lucas wanted Princess Alise back. Alise showed Prince Li to Lord Rogers Secret Lair where he took Alise and Lucas there as a spy team and Alise remembers those good old times. Prince Li realizes that while they were in the spy room as Alise kept talking about Lucas.

It was then time for Princess Alise's ball. As the first dance was about to start with Prince Derek and Alise, Li sees Lucas walking away in defeat and decided to make the ultimate sacrifice of losing his love. He asks Queen Uberta for permission to break a tradition just this once and let Lucas dance with Alise, much to Lucas' surprise. Alise was reluctant to dance with Lucas because of their argument but she does in the end. Prince Li sings and the same song in English and as Lucas and Alise are dancing together, Chen appears. Alise and Lucas finally realized their love for each other and kiss. Because of Prince Li's sacrifice, Chen's curse has been lifted and be with Princess Mei Li. Ru was very proud of the prince's choice and told him that his sacrifice helped his sister lift Chen's curse. The following day Prince Li says goodbye to Alise who are now good friends and both will never forget each other. As Prince Li was leaving he took one final glance at Alise who was happily running towards Lucas and smiles as he heads off. At the very end of the movie, it can be read: To be continued.

Why It Sucks

 * 1) The animation is probably even worse than the pervious Swan Princess CGI sequels as It's mainly the movement that's so janky and doll-like, and it's pretty bizarre (in particular with the dance scene). Especially when the camera zips in almost every direction at times.
 * 2) The models are kind of jarring. They did fix Odette's face at long last, but Lucas and Alise look so weird. Alise has a baby face on a grown woman's body and Lucas looks much older than her.
 * 3) Aside from Li, the music performances are trippy. The colors are over saturated, no shading at times and have bizarre fast-moving. They feel like they were pulled from those Youtube Kids nursery rhyme videos.
 * 4) Just like the CGI sequels, the characters from the pervious sequels are still flanderized since The Swan Princess Christmas and there's no chance of them being recovered (with the expectation of a few like Speed and Bridget).
 * 5) * Lucas is a bit of a jerk in this movie, pulling the cliché sabotaging the romantic competition. instead of talking to Alise, his childhood friend.
 * 6) * Scully, just like in the pervious sequels, is, once again, isn't really needed as he mostly appears just to get the plot going.
 * 7) The music doesn't really fit the era but that is to be expected with this franchise.
 * 8) Cliffhanger Ending: The following day Prince Li says goodbye to Alise who are now good friends and both will never forget each other. As Prince Li was leaving he took one final glance at Alise who was happily running towards Lucas and smiles as he heads off and it ends with the words, To Be Continued, thinking that the next film would focus on the continuation of where it left off, but in the next film, The Royal Wedding, Alise and Lucas don't appear in that film as if they don't see to exist anymore and were replaced by two Chinese characters (which being Mei-Lee and Chen) making the ending of this movie pointless.
 * 9) Just like other Crest Animation/Streetlight Productions' CGI sequels, many plot points, and assents are lazily rehashed from not only the first three movies but also Crest's other films as well, only with minor differences.
 * 10) This film is officially when the Swan Princess franchise jumped the shark since this film started focusing on the Chinese kingdom of Li and his sister (or jumped another shark, with the first being when it decided to focus on Alise). The previous films were all set in the low-fantasy-themed medieval times, and while it's nice to introduce Chinese characters in the franchise, it still hasn't extended their culture during medieval Europe.
 * 11) Very poor and nonsensical writing just like the CGI sequels which away most of the charm that the first three movies had, resulting in numerous plot holes.
 * 12) Misleading Title: Despite having the Swan Princess in the title, a good portion of the film focuses on Alise and Lucas, and Li which contrasted the film's title.

Redeeming Qualities

 * 1) The characterization improved in this film, with the new characters being interesting.
 * 2) * Li is a fairly compelling character. We see him develop with Alise and show more of him, it is kind of a shame that he didn't get together with Alise because they have shown better chemistry in a short time better than Lucas (and even her own parents).
 * 3) * In comparison to her younger self, Alise isn't as much of a Mary Sue in this movie. She tries to acknowledge her mistakes, she has a talent that she had to learn and practice and they finally acknowledge her past home life and reflect how it affected her.
 * 4) * Just like the CGI sequels, a few like Speed and Bridget aren't flanderized and still remand as their likable selves.
 * 5) Some of the songs are pretty good, especially Li's song and it's interesting they use a version of the song in Li's native language. Not a lot of American animated movies do that.
 * 6) The clothes are nice, especially the dresses. Although they kind of clash with the puffy-sleeved Medieval dresses and comes off as a bit jarring.

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