Netflix’s The Princess Switch: Switched Again – Two’s a Pair, but Three’s a Crowd

Fourth on Netflix’s Holiday roster is the first of two sequels this year! The first Princess Switch film was what is expected from a Netflix Christmas film: generic fluff meant for a feel-good, couch-bound cuddle fest. Following in the footsteps of A Christmas Prince, Netflix has decided to double down on the success of two Vanessa Hudgens by now making it three in the sequel. Will this be a formidable sequel that hits the warm and fuzzy spot or finds it cannot stand on its own two skates?  This is Netflix after all.

The Princess Switch: Switched Again follows the continuing story of doppelgängers Stacey De Novo and Princess Margaret (Hudgens) who are living two very different lives two years after their chance encounter. Stacey is now princess to Belgravia after marrying Prince Edward (Palladio) while Margaret is now the heir to the thrown of Montenaro which caused her and beau Kevin (Sagar) to break up. With the coronation on the horizon, Stacey decides to bring Kevin with her in an attempt to fix her friend’s broken relationship. They decide to swap lives again to try to give Margaret some alone time to fix her relationship, but things become complicated when a third doppelgänger, Margaret’s cousin Lady Fiona, tries to pose as Margaret to take the thrown for herself.

If the premise of the original film seemed outlandish, this film certainly finds a way to top that. The returning cast bring the same charm that made the original story feels so uplifting and warm, but there is a new dynamic added to the mix that changes the backbone of the story. Adding a third Vanessa Hudgens with a slightly different British accent shifts the focus from a feel-good, love-centric story to one about protecting the country from a con-woman ruler trying to take the throne. Those rom-com stories from the first film are still there and wrap up at the end, but it becomes hindered by the ongoing throne-stealing subplot. There might be one too many doppelgängers to keep this story flowing smoothly.

The production design is more lavish and the Christmas decor is larger than life, but the characters feel stagnant and the story repetitive. Hudgens has some obvious fun playing three characters, but beyond that the film is all fluff and the typical Hallmark rom-com that Netflix has seemingly perfected. The Princess Switch: Switched Again is to The Princess Switch as The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement is to The Princess Diaries. That was quite a mouthful. It isn’t as great as the original, but it doesn’t besmirch its image and kind of seems alright if you look over all the minor problems.

Now onto the next Christmas tale! ‘Tis the season!

*still courtesy of Netflix

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Dylan Phillips