Secret Society of Second-Born Royals
disney+Aside from being a bit of a mouthful, Secret Society of Second Born Royals is the next Disney Plus original film that aims to draw in some fresh subscribers. Based on an original concept that is seemingly cashing in on the hype of the superhero genre, the film follows a group of teens who are all second-born children of Royal families. But rather than having to live in the shadow of their older sibling - and thus, heir to the throne - it turns out that all second born Royals gain superpowers when they hit their teenage years.
The Secret Society of Second Born Royals does exactly what it says on the tin and it is this Society that our group of unblemished and notably diverse heroes are recruited into, in order to learn how to handle their powers. Led by newcomer Peyton Elizabeth Lee, who plays the rebellious princess Sam, the first half of the movie goes through the exact motions one would expect. Including a rather wordy and expository training montage.
It’s all uninspired, but harmless, entertainment. It also screams Disney channel original movie and never tries to differentiate as anything but. For the first hour, the film is simply plodding along, offering up attempts at character development and relationship bonding between the core group that never really goes anywhere. Surprisingly, this cliché start is the film’s strength, as it lulls the viewer into a sense of false security. The threat of the film, in the form of the villainous Inmate 34 (Greg Byrk), shakes up the pace somewhat and it’s from this point on that the screamingly obvious plot twists actually work and shape Secret Society into something that really works better than it should.
The majority of the young cast also do well to hold the cracks of this often-hollow superhero facsimile together. Lee, in particular, is very watchable and does well to portray a range of personality and emotion as the only rounded out character in the film. Olivia Deeble, who plays the social media obsessed Princess Roxana leaves an impression even with the thin material given to her. Unfortunately, the quality of these two performances highlight Isabella Blake-Thomas’ role as Princess January, as being significantly weaker which is a shame considering she is given quite a meaty role as the plot chugs along.
It’s certainly a movie for the kids and it’s certainly not enough to warrant signing up for Disney Plus - even though a sequel is very much teased. But, at the end of the day, Secret Society of Second Born Royals has just enough charm in the form of lead Peyton Elizabeth Lee that it’s certainly not a chore to watch.