Descendants (2015)
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The children of iconic villains must navigate life at a prestigious academy while deciding whether to remain loyal to their parents' dark legacy.
The story
Following the establishment of the prosperous nation of Auradon, the children of infamous villains are banished to the Isle of the Lost. When the prince of Auradon, Ben, offers four of these teenagers a chance to attend Auradon Preparatory, they are sent to the school to find a new life. However, they are secretly tasked by their parents to steal the Fairy Godmother's magic wand during the upcoming coronation to break the barrier and free their parents. The four teenagers must navigate the challenges of a new school, forge new friendships, and decide where their true loyalties lie as they adjust to life away from the Isle.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After the establishment of Auradon, the children of villains are exiled to the Isle of the Lost. Prince Ben invites four of these children—Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos—to attend Auradon Preparatory. While they attempt to fit in, Maleficent secretly tasks them with stealing the Fairy Godmother's wand during the coronation to break the barrier and free the villains. The students navigate school life: Jay joins a sports team, Carlos overcomes his fear of dogs, and Evie tries to find her own identity. Mal becomes conflicted as she develops feelings for Ben, who is under a love spell she cast. During the coronation, a mishap causes the barrier to crack. Mal is forced to choose between her mother's demands and her new life. She chooses to be good, and when Maleficent appears and transforms into a dragon, the four friends use a counterspell to turn her into a lizard. Mal returns the wand to the Fairy Godmother, and the students celebrate their new life in Auradon.
- First release year
- 2015
- Runtime (minutes)
- 112
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Kenny Ortega
- Writers
- Josann McGibbon · writer; Sara Parriott · writer
- Cast and characters
- Dove Cameron · Mal; Cameron Boyce · Carlos; Booboo Stewart · Jay; Sofia Carson · Evie; Mitchell Hope · Ben; Melanie Paxson · Fairy Godmother; Brenna D'Amico · Jane; Sarah Jeffery · Audrey
- Genres
- Musical; Fantasy
- Themes
- Identity; Choice; Good vs. Evil
- Setting
- The Isle of the Lost and the kingdom of Auradon.
- Premise and plot tags
- Fantasy; Musical; Coming of Age
- Franchise connections
- Descendants
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics, being described as a 'playful and tuneful TV movie' and a 'musical romp' with 'memorable songs and excellent casting.'
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 63 · scale: 100 · review count: 5
- Production trivia
- The film was the fifth-best-selling home-video release of August in 2015.; The film was the most-watched broadcast on Disney Channel in the United Kingdom and Ireland for the month of September 2015.; The film was the fifth most watched original movie in cable history.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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