Anastasia (1997)
★★★ — Anastasia (1997)
Anastasia (1997) is a charming, handsomely made animated musical that blends historical myth with fairy-tale romance, and while it never quite reaches greatness, it’s consistently enjoyable from start to finish. Produced by Fox (not Disney, though it often gets lumped in with the Disney Renaissance), it tells the fictionalised story of a young amnesiac orphan who may or may not be the lost Russian grand duchess Anastasia. The animation is fluid and expressive, with rich colours, elegant art deco touches, and dreamlike sequences that elevate the film beyond standard kids’ fare. The voice cast is strong: Meg Ryan brings warmth and spunk to Anya, John Cusack adds grounded charm as the rogue-with-a-heart-of-gold Dimitri, and Christopher Lloyd chews scenery with glee as the Rasputin-esque villain Grigori Rasputin, complete with a delightfully creepy bat sidekick. The songs, too, are catchy and well-integrated and carry genuine emotional weight. But for all its polish, Anastasia plays it safe. The plot follows a predictable underdog-to-princess arc, the history is heavily romanticised (to put it mildly), and the stakes never feel truly dangerous, even with a supernatural villain on the loose. It’s more style than substance, more spectacle than soul. Anastasia is good (nearly very good) but not great. It’s a lovely, nostalgic watch with strong vocals, beautiful visuals, and a heart in the right place. Just don’t expect it to challenge, surprise, or linger long after the final note fades. A solid comfort film, not a classic.
Rating: ★★★ | Year: 1997 | Watched: 2026-04-29
