Christmas 2020 Reviews: Day 9 - A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby (2019)

Here, we have reached the final film in the A Christmas Prince trilogy. Or at least, it's a trilogy for now. If you read my The Christmas Switch: Switched Again review, you may have worked out that when I mentioned that two characters from a different Netflix film series appeared, the two I was referring to were King Richard and Amber. So for all we know, those two worlds may collide sometime next Christmas.

But that's not for here and now. A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby follows Amber and Richard (again played by Rose McIver and Ben Lamb respectfully) as they approach the due date for their first child together. Amber's dad, her friends, and Richard's family are all in the castle, excited and waiting for this. But the excitement doesn't end there.

Every one hundred years, it is tradition for the King of Aldovia (which is Richard) and the King of Penglia (a fictional Asian country) to sign a treaty that agrees the two countries shall not go to war and be at peace with one another for the following hundred years. However, drama occurs when Amber argues that the queens should be able to sign the treaty too, only for the treaty - an ancient, highly valued document - to go missing on the day of the signing. Who took it? Will they get it back in time for Christmas?

These films are a joyous guilty pleasure for me at this point. They're silly and ridiculous, but fun, light and feelgood flicks. That said, this is a satisfying conclusion to the series and so Netflix, please know that you don't have to make these anymore.

Oddly, that seems like the main review part is pretty much done. I really just want to talk about the goofiness of this particular instalment in the trilogy.

In the scene where the treaty scroll is revealed to be missing, the film shows every single character having a zoomed in reaction shot. It's so over the top and campy, it's hilarious, and I'm glad that this film has evolved enough to know what it is.

It was this film that highlighted to me what a worrying individual Amber is. She breaks into a castle - home of a royal family - and pretends to be the tutor to the disabled, young princess. She and the prince fall in love with each other while she is living out this lie, but he forgives and even proposes to her after finding out the truth, less than a month after they've met (which also suggests some things about the prince's mental wellbeing). Amber then disrespects royal tradition when it comes to her wedding, and insists her way is better. She also sulks and storms off when she is told that she shouldn't keep a blog anymore, because she keeps sharing personal photos and information about the royal family.

In this film, Amber argues that the wives of the ruling Kings should be allowed to sign the treaty too. I don't think this is a feminist issue though. Yes, it's a bit concerning that in all these hundreds of years, apparently neither Aldovia or Penglia have had queens in power at the time of the treaty signing (RIchard's mother, the Queen, just missed out, it would seem), but as a woman, it feels petty to me that Amber would insist on being a part of this. She isn't the ruler of Aldovia. Richard is. That's why he should sign the scroll, because like the King of Penglia, by signing it, he is agreeing that his country won't fight another. He has the power to do that.

If the situation was reversed and it happened to be a Queen in power, no one would care if her husband got to sign it, because he isn't official royalty. Amber has no real motive for caring about this. If she wants to do something as the King's wife, do some charity work, or do something to aid a genuine cause in her country. But this film isn't deep enough for that.

Speaking of "doing something for her country", I'm not actually sure if Aldovia is a country. I mean, it's a fictional one made up for this film, but in terms of how it's treated, and how everyone seems to know one another, it feels more like a village, or a small town at most. It seems like a rather measly country.

Also, the entire idea of the treaty is stupid. Why do they have to renew it every 100 years? Why can't they just agree not to fight, sign a more permanent treaty and have that be that?

Amber is pregnant in this film, and how they handle it is the most hilariously bad things I've seen for a while.

Part of the plot of this film concerns an apparent ancient curse, that states that the firstborn of the King and Queen who break the treaty tradition will be cursed. It's just so bizarre because there hasn't been anything to do with legends or supernatural elements in the previous films.

My favourite part of Amber's pregnancy is when she goes into labour, and **spoiler alert** two of the characters enter the room, having just found the missing treaty. Amber then pauses her labour so that she can stand up and give everyone a speech about how she solved the mystery of who stole it. It's hilarious.

Also, you would never know that Amber had a baby that evening, when we see her for the first time after the birth. Her hair and makeup are still perfect, not even a hint of sweat dripping from her forehead. It's very lazy.

However, there are a couple of genuinely good parts of this film, which includes the continuation of Emily's romance with the boy she liked in the first film, which is cute. There's also a really nice scene between Richard and the King Tai, the King of Penglia, where they work together to assemble a crib for Richard and Amber's baby. The questionable realism of two men of high power doing this aside, this is a really nice scene with the two men bonding as they discuss fatherhood. The conclusion to this is fun too.

I've also grown to really like Simon as a character. He's my favourite out of everyone here. There's just something quite fun about him. I won't get into his arc in this film, but I will say that he deserves better.

Now, if you read my last review, which was of the film before this in the trilogy, you may remember the introduction of a character named Sahil. I didn't like this character, he was too loud and stereotypically gay. He's better in this film, because they've partnered him up with Andrew, one of Amber's best friends who is also obviously gay. However, they are only stated as being business partners. I don't know though, after a hint at the end of the second film, it feels like a gay couple who aren't allowed by the film to be a couple for some reason. It doesn't sit well with me, and is the only serious issue I have with the film, apart from its silly incompetence on other aspects.

This really is just the Netflix version of The Prince and Me quartet, but at Christmas and less awful - they even meet with a fictional Asian country like in The Prince and Me 4. Are these films good? No, but they are enjoyable, and effort is clearly put into them. If this is the right amount of brainlessness for you to endure, I recommend.

THE SCOREBOARD

Would I recommend this film? While not for everyone due to it's very fluffy content, overall, I do recommend this film, and the series as a whole. It's very charming, and delightful for Christmas.

Christmas quote of the film: "No one does Christmas like the Aldovians." - King Tai

Film rating: 4/10