The 10th Kingdom
2000
Original language: English
- sci-fi & fantasy
- comedy
- family
- mystery
The story
Virginia and Tony, a father and daughter living in Manhattan, find themselves in a parallel universe where Snow White, Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood are struggling to maintain order. Their kingdoms have been fragmented by trolls, giants and goblins.
What it’s like
Bright, storybook-saturated fantasy with the warm, slightly theatrical look of a 2000-era family miniseries: sunlit forest greens, golden castle interiors, and a drab, cool-toned Manhattan that gives way to a richer, more colourful world the longer the story runs. Camera work is conventional and steady, with plenty of medium shots and fairy-tale wide establishing views, and the score is orchestral and bouncy, with swells for adventure and whimsy for the goofier creatures. Pacing is brisk and episodic across its four-hour run, so it moves easily between set pieces, bickering double-acts and quieter moments of wonder. The tone is playful and wry, a comedy-adventure that treats its fairy-tale figures with affectionate irreverence. Creature menace is present in trolls, giants and goblins, but the threat stays cartoonish and bloodless, with brief chases, scuffles and peril and no gore, cruelty or sexual content. Emotionally it is about a father and daughter's stubborn, funny bond growing through hardship, and about misfit characters finding courage. It suits a weekend afternoon, a family evening or a comfort rewatch, and it is for viewers who want gentle, big-hearted fantasy with humour and no real darkness.
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