Steps Netflix Review: The Wicked Stepsister Tale That Dares to Outshine Frozen

Netflix’s animated Cinderella twist flips the fairy tale to follow the so-called villain, and one critic calls it funny, bold and full of heart.

Netflix is giving Cinderella’s stepsister the spotlight, and this Steps Netflix review from CIO Bulletin explains why one critic thinks the animated film is worth watching. Rendy Jones of What’s on Netflix scored it 4 out of 5, praising its humor, punk-goth style, and surprisingly heartfelt story.

Cinderella as Seen Through the Stepsister’s Eyes

Steps retells Cinderella from the view of Lilith, an outcast stepsister voiced by Ali Wong. She lives in the shadow of perfect Cinderella, voiced by Amanda Seyfried, and reacts by building a punk-goth identity. After a royal ball goes wrong, Lilith discovers that Cinderella’s fairy godmother, voiced by Bette Midler, has been pulling the strings behind her flawless life.

Then things get chaotic. Lilith grabs the magic wand, her sister Margot, voiced by Stephanie Hsu, is turned into a frog, and the wand lands in the hands of a mean girl named Priscilla. The three sisters must race against midnight to get a clueless Prince, voiced by Daniel Radcliffe, to try on the glass slipper.

What Works and What Doesn’t

• Big laughs, especially the Prince Charming scenes.

• A punk-goth, geometric art style with plenty of personality.

• Honest themes of belonging, race and family.

• A long setup and non-stop action scenes in the middle.

The film changed shape during production, moving from an animated musical to an action comedy. The review says it explores racial discrimination and the loneliness of trying to fit in through Lilith’s story, shaped by Co-Director Alyce Tzue, who shares Lilith’s Chinese heritage. It also notes that too many writers may explain why the setup drags, and the middle rushes from one action scene to the next.

So how does it compare with Disney’s hit? Reviewer Rendy Jones of What’s on Netflix wrote, “Anna and Elsa wish they had the depth Lilith and Cinderella got.” Will families agree?

Steps premiered in New York on November 8 and arrives on Netflix worldwide on November 20. CIO Bulletin will keep following the film’s rollout.

News Source: What’s on Netflix, https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/