Spellbound: A Genius Film with Deeper Layers for Modern Families
It seems like the majority of people are completely missing the deeper messages in Netflix’s new children’s movie, Spellbound.
In a world of instant gratification, it’s easy to dismiss this film as another “cute family movie,” but if you can wait until the end and reflect on its deeper layers, you’ll see just how brilliant it is.
This is a movie that speaks directly to modern families navigating the challenges of life with kids and maintaining a marriage—and it does so in ways that are both visual and profoundly relatable. Plus, the visual concepts around how our words and thoughts affect our experience and reality is straight GENIUS.
Monsters, Tornados, and (Gasp!) Dark Feelings
The monsters in the movie? So relatable. They’re how kids can often see us when we’re stressed, overworked, and maybe accidentally taking our frustrations out on them. It’s also how we can actually act when we’re stuck in the tension of parenting and marriage. (Oof. That one hits close to home.)
The curse and the black tornados? They’re such a beautiful metaphor for those dark feelings we all have but don’t want to admit—anxiety, frustration, anger. There’s a moment when Princess Ellian says, “I don’t have dark feelings”. Um, a lot of us think we don’t, until—boom!—life throws one too many curveballs, and we’re suddenly swirling in our own emotional tornado. (That one hit home, too).
The point the movie is getting to is that, while it’s okay to have these dark feelings, we have to manage them so that the dark tornado (dark feelings) doesn’t take over and turn us into monsters. See what they did there? A stormy little life lesson wrapped in a fairy tale bow.
Before you click into the movie to watch it, there’s a scene with white bubbles that’s all happy and mysterious. This is one of the most important scenes in the entire movie, and I can’t stop thinking about it and referencing it to my kids. It’s the perfect visualization of how our words and thoughts hold power.
When we speak in a kind and positive tone, we create light (literally, in this case—white bubbles). But when we speak from a negative point of view, our words come out like red lightning bolts, and get us into a mess. This has been such a lightbulb moment for my kids because the visualizations help them connect to the feelings.
Now when they’re fighting, I’ll remind them of these visualizations from the movie, “Hey! Remember the red bolts! How can you change them to bubbles?” and suddenly they’re more aware of how their words affect everything around them.
Those Quirky Little Oracles and Finding the Light
Can we talk about the adorable oracles? I love them so much. They’re a little silly, a little wise, and a lot symbolic. They represent the moon and the sun, the dark and the light, and that constant push and pull between the anxiety and frustration we all feel, and the choice we have to look for the positive. Their goofy song and dance about staying in the light is actually pretty deep because it’s all about choosing a small positive thing to focus on first, and that light can and will get bigger and bigger.
The Quicksand Scene: A Message for Parents
Then there’s the quicksand scene—when Princess Ellian is trying to make her way to the golden water, and her monster parents are fighting. She yells, “Stop putting me in the middle!” and… yikes. I definitely felt like that as a kid with divorced parents, and know that has happened with my step-daughter going between her two homes, too. It’s how so many kids feel when their parents are arguing or going through a hard time, on the brink of divorce.
In the movie, every time they stepped into the shadows, they started sinking in quicksand. Um, hello, giant metaphor. I’m sure so many kids can feel seen in this scene (see what I did there?) because unfortunately, it’s all too common for parents to drag kids into the middle of their own stress, arguments, or frustrations. Whether it’s intentional or not, it happens, and this scene is trying to wake parents up to how they may or may not be doing that in their own home.
The Ending: Apologies That Heal
No spoilers here, because the ending was, but wasn’t what I expected. Watching the parents take accountability and apologize to their daughter was chef’s kiss. And here’s why: Apologies from parents are so powerful. Research shows that repairing a tough situation with your kid—saying, “Hey, I was wrong, and I’m sorry”—can do wonders for their emotional well-being and showing them what it looks like to give a genuine apology. And this film? It nails it.
Why Spellbound is Modern Family Genius
Here’s the thing: Spellbound isn’t just another cute animated movie. It’s a really powerful story and visualization. It’s a conversation starter. It’s a mirror that reflects the hard stuff families go through and shows us a way forward. Life with kids is tough. Marriage is tough. Emotions are tough. But this movie wraps all that real-life stuff into a colorful, kid-friendly package that’s also secretly a masterclass in social-emotional well-being.
I’ve already referenced the movie with my kids to an annoying degree, and it’s been amazing for helping them understand how their energy and words affect everyone around them.
Free Download to Spark Family Conversations
Because I’m obsessed with this movie (and helping kids and families thrive), I put together a free download you can use while watching Spellbound or as a conversation starter afterward. It’s full of prompts and things to say to help you bring these incredible lessons to life.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD IT FOR FREE!
And if you would love a little more of this similar guidance to dive deeper into raising empowered and confident kids with a solid social-emotional wellbeing, check out The Empowered Child Guide. It’s packed with similar conversation starters and things to say to help you tackle everyday battles with mindfulness, positivity, and social-emotional magic.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE GUIDE!
Final Thoughts
Spellbound is a movie that deserves more credit. It’s not just cute—it’s smart, it’s heartfelt, and it’s packed with lessons that so many modern families need. So, grab the popcorn, gather your tiny humans, and give it another watch. You might just discover a new favorite parenting tool in the process.
What about you? Did Spellbound hit you in the feels too? Let’s chat in the comments or follow me on Instagram @TINYHUMANPRINTCO
