Disney has been around for a century and has made countless films, series, storybooks, theme parks, and merchandise. We are all familiar with Snow White or The Lion King. We have been immersed with the Disney Princesses and thrown into the adventures of Robin Hood. From fun and wacky characters to scary villains, Disney has it all.
But even though they have created a lot of feature films, I never knew something like The Black Cauldron existed.
Plot Overview
The movie follows the story of a teenage assistant pig keeper named Taran. He is a very ambitious boy and dreams of becoming a warrior. He lives with Daliben, the enchanter. He learns that a particular ruler called the Horned King is set to find The Black Cauldron and summon thousands of undead army. He fears the enemy might look for one of his pigs, Hen Wen, because of its oracular ability to locate the cauldron. Daliben assigns Taran to take Hen Wen to safety, but due to his naivety, Hen Wen gets captured by the Horned King's army.
Taran follows them to the Horned King's castle. He meets Gurgi, a pestering dog-like creature along the way who wants to be his friend. Taran leaves him, but Gurgi still follows him. Soon our hero gets captured and is taken to a cell. Princess Eilonwy, another captive prisoner, arrives and helps him escape. They discover the king's chamber, and Taran arms himself with his sword, a weapon that can slay the Horned King and his minions. A third prisoner, Fflam the Bard, joins them, and they all successfully escape the castle. Gurgi finds and joins them as well. Meanwhile, The Horned King learns the news about the escaped prisoners and orders his henchmen to find them.
The four follow Hen Wen's trail and prevent the Horned King from finding the Black Cauldron before he causes a catastrophe.
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Review
The Black Cauldron may be underrated, and not everyone knows it, but it's been stamped as one of Disney's classics. It does not have the same legacy as other popular movies.
This movie has promising potential, but it never met my expectations. Its premise is good and quite enjoyable, but it never gets there. I just hoped it presented the characters deeper to flesh out their story. I feel like the characters were just a little bit bland.
Overall, The Black Cauldron does not compare to classics like The Lion King, Mulan, or The Little Mermaid. It had some good moments, but they were overshadowed by parts you want to skip.
A disappointing 1.5 out of 5 stars.
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