Opened: August 11, 2004

Directed by: Garry Marshall

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, Héctor Elizondo, John Rhys-Davies, Heather Matarazzo, Chris Pine, Callum Blue, Caroline Goodall, Meredith Patterson, Kathleen Marshall, Joel McCrary, Kim Thomson, Tom Poston, Raven-Symoné, Larry Miller, Matthew Walker, Shea Curry, Anna A. White, Cassie Rowell, Erik Bragg, Sean O’Bryan, Scott Marshall, Abigail Breslin, Stan Lee, Jonny Blu, Spencer Breslin, Tracy Reiner, Paul Vogt & Paul Williams

The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement may be less charming than its predecessor, but the film continues to be entertaining for the entire family.

Princess Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) is being forced by the Genovian Parliament to marry within 30 days or give up her right to the throne. Though receiving advice from her grandmother Queen Clarisse (Julie Andrews), she falls for her political rival Nicholas Deveraux (Chris Pine).

Though the film has some beautiful moments near the end, there’s a lack of magic throughout that made the original so special. This script leans much more into the romantic-comedy world and loses some of its family bond.

Hathaway and Andrews keep up their fantastic rapport here, and Andrews beautifully sings onscreen for the first time following her botched throat surgery in 1997.

Final say: A cute if less memorable sequel. ★★★☆☆