Vanessa Hudgens and Vanessa Hudgens return as Stacey and Lady Margaret, respectively and this year. As in the past, they will be tasked with organizing the Christmas party. And it’s no more a thing of the past than decorating the tree with the Peace Star. A wooden lace inlaid with precious stones from the Vatican that once belonged to Saint Nicholas himself.
Lady Fiona (Vanessa Hudgens), the terrifying con artist who caused a lot of trouble last Christmas! But when the Peace Star is stolen, our beloved royal twin must turn to an unlikely ally. Can Fiona steal the stars from the old fire (Will Kemp)? And will she fall in love with her espionage ally (Remy Hii) on her journey? And how much change will be reduced? Better more variety!
Not only is Fiona back, but so are her friends Reggie (Ricky Norwood) and Mindy (Florence Hall).
The utterly unnecessary return of Reggie and Mindy is what makes The Princess Switch 3 from its next level so ridiculous. In the best sense of the word. There is a version of this film where only Fiona returns. Because three Vanessa Hudgens is already too much for a film.
This film may be good, but it doesn’t feel unique compared to the hundreds of other holiday films released this year. But the movie we watched, where Reggie and Fiona fight like half-brothers and Reggie still hurts? It’s a weird holiday mess with a vast cast that feels way bigger than anything at Hallmark or Lifetime – and Reggie and Mindy are to blame and thank them.
Hudgens as Fiona describes her story with hotel mogul/criminal Hunter Cunningham in the perfect accent I can only describe as May West with Erta Keith: “Oh, we had a little more fun.” Now I need to let you know that the phrase “we’ve choked a bit” is now canon and should be used instead of “connected” from now on.
Given the accomplishments of previous sequels to Netflix’s Christmas films, I was nervous about jumping into The Princess Switch 3. Both last year’s Christmas chronicle and the Princess Switch sequel were top-notch, but they both seem like a stretch of space. And don’t let me start the gruesome and boring sequel to “Christmas Prince”. Netflix has an awkward sequel experience!
And this recording you hear is Princess Switch 3:
Did I mention that this film is primarily a heist film? Which goes through all the trouble of the last Christmas follow-up, just does something completely different. We get all the romantic elements while Fiona and her spy Peter resist the urge to fall in love during the heist as mentioned above. Still, it’s the complex, tropical-filled missions: Impossible Joke that takes up most of your time.
Romcom sequels may not be feasible due to central conflicts – whether the bakers will deal with princes, etc. – allowed. Instead of repeating it, Romancing the Star is fun teaching characters how to climb walls and avoid laser traps like Catherine Zeta-Jones in Entrapment – and yes, how to switch between one another. This is not a Princess Switch movie unless there is a switch.
Overall, The Princess Switch 3 remains a fun and entertaining spectacle thanks to Hudgens’ appearance as Fiona, now the franchise leader. This shift in focus to fabulous and flirty fashionistas guarantees longevity. The down-to-earth Stacey and the sweet and graceful Lady Margaret made great slides for the first film, but not much has happened to them now that they’ve both calmed down. However, Fiona is fertile and very complex by comparison! And I’m not even talking about Fiona’s style. That’s the gift she gives all the time.