Throne of Elves: A Visually Stunning but Derivative Fantasy Adventure
Throne of Elves is a vibrant Chinese animated fantasy film that, while visually impressive, treads familiar ground in its tale of magical conflict within an elven kingdom.
Following their previous adventure, the human Lambert and the elven princess Liya find themselves deeply in love. Despite the skepticism of Liya’s family, who distrust humans, she invites Lambert and his friends to the elven queen’s wedding. However, the celebration is disrupted by a phantom army led by the queen’s older sister, who has acquired the power of the Dark Crystal. Driven by a thirst for power, the villain seeks to steal the Green Crystal from her kin, aiming to become the most powerful sorceress in history. When they fail to locate the crystal, the phantoms kidnap the queen, prompting Liya, Lambert, and their allies to embark on a perilous rescue mission.
The film boasts the involvement of Hollywood producer Bill Borden, known for his work on Disney’s Meet the Robinsons and the High School Musical franchise.
From Dragon Nest to Throne of Elves
In 2014, the ambitious Shanghai-based CGI studio Mili Pictures released its debut feature film, Dragon Nest: Warriors’ Dawn, an epic fantasy based on the South Korean MMORPG Dragon Nest. While the film didn’t achieve massive box office success, the studio decided to create a sequel. Thus, in 2016, Mili Pictures released Throne of Elves, which continues the story of Dragon Nest and includes its main characters, but is formally an independent work unrelated to the Dragon Nest brand.
In the American dub of the film, Lambert is voiced by Ryan Potter, who previously played the main character Hiro in Disney’s Big Hero 6.
A Step Up in Production
The two-year gap between films is evident in the improved quality of Throne of Elves. The team at Mili Pictures clearly learned from their previous experience. Notably, Throne of Elves features fewer main characters than the crowded Dragon Nest, allowing the script to focus on the complex relationship between Lambert and Liya. The two lovers are torn between their feelings for each other and the obstacles presented by elven laws and Liya’s royal duty. Lambert, meanwhile, falls victim to a dark curse and is partially controlled by the villain, who seeks to use him to betray his friends. This creates a dramatic tension that adds depth to the action-packed narrative.
The battles in Throne of Elves are also more engaging and visually stunning than those in Dragon Nest, thanks to the colorful graphics in a typical Eastern video game style. This is a far cry from Western RPGs with their “realistic” obsession with fifty shades of brown!
Familiar Fantasy Tropes
However, the improved animation and polished script do not make Throne of Elves a significantly more successful film than Dragon Nest. It remains a derivative fantasy tale about humans, elves, and magical crystals that control white and black magic. The film lacks humor, and the fantasy action is not particularly original. While Lambert and Liya underwent character development in Dragon Nest, they essentially remain static in Throne of Elves, despite the relationship crisis they experience. While young fantasy fans may enjoy the film, older viewers may find it somewhat dull.