Review of Dazzle

Dazzle (1999)
7/10
The razzle-dazzle look & imaginative story of this family film are impressive, but there are a few dark moments
29 July 2008
Tom (Maxwell Caulfield) lives in England with his young daughter, Melissa (Charlotte Savage). A recent widower of 16 months, Tom is struggling to get back to his work as a children's fantasy writer. Also, his habit of reading only fairy tales to Melissa irks the local teacher, Miss Martinet (Mia Sara). Yet, one day, a tiny fairy, Crystal ( (Chantelle Stander) travels from her magic world to Tom's house, for she greatly admires his writings. Unfortunately, she bumps into a tree and, suddenly, she is a human-sized, scantily-dressed woman-fairy. Amnesia, also, hits Crystal and when she comes knocking on Tom's door, she is so confused that Tom invites her in and vows to find her family. The more he sees of beautiful Crystal, too, the more he is attracted to her. But, alas, an evil supernatural being known as the collector (Jeff Fahey) comes to town, also, for in her present state, the collector can capture the fairy and put her in a bottle. To prevent that, two elves likewise enter the human world to look for Crystal and protect her from the evil forces. What a tangled web! Will Crystal survive? This is a good family film that's art direction is tremendous. From the country setting to the fairy costumes to the special effects, this film looks very, very beautiful. It also has an imaginative plot and a capable cast, with Caulfield making a nice, caring father. Stander, too, is a lovely fairy while Sara is a hoot as the specs-wearing, didactic teacher. But, be cautioned parents. There are some dark elements, with Fahey giving the collector a frightening persona. Also, some may find the brief minutes of Crystal's lack of clothing (nothing is shown, only implied) objectionable. However, most families will find the film very worthwhile, more so than some major feature releases. If you are looking for something new to show to your loved ones, Dazzle should fulfill your wishes nicely.
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