Some kids see their parents as monsters — making them eat their vegetables, insisting homework be done before dinner, begging them to clean their room occasionally, etc. You know, the worst. In the case of Ellian, a princess from the land of Lumbria, her parents literally are monsters — unsightly, rambunctious and uncommunicative creatures — thanks to an encounter with some dark magic. That’s the state of royal play in “Spellbound,” an only semi-enchanting film from Skydance Animation that has just landed on Netflix. The movie had a chance to be a gem thanks to some of the folks involved in bringing it to life. The list starts with director Vicky Jenson, who, most notably, helmed 2001’s beloved romp “Shrek.” Then there’s composer Alan Menkin — working here, as he often does, with lyricist Glenn Slater — who has contributed to animated Disney classics including “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Related Articles ‘Wicked’ review: First part of the adaptation of stage musical defies gravity ‘Gladiator II’ review: Sequel is big, entertaining and messy ‘Dune: Prophecy’ review: Prequel series weighed down by too many characters ‘Red One’ review: Promising premise, but this is poorly wrapped holiday gift ‘A Real Pain’ review: Eisenberg delivers thoughtful study of two hurting men And singing the original songs of Menkin and Slater is Rachel Zegler, who delighted us in director Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake of “West Side Story” and last year impressed in “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes.” These talented people and others — John Lithgow, Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem contribute voice work — help make “Spellbound” a relative winner even if it falls short of the quality of the aforementioned Disney films and “Shrek.” As we meet Ellian (Zegler) — on her birthday, flying through mountains, above water and eventually back to the kingdom with her friends riding giant birds — she and a few others, such as Lithgow’s Minister Bolinar, have been keeping the truth about her parents a secret from the citizens and even some important types. Ministers Bolinar and Nazara (Jennifer Lewis) think it is time for Princess Ellian to become the ruler of Lumbria, but she hasn’t given up on the idea of finding a way to break her parents’ curse, which they encountered in The Dark Forest of Eternal Darkness — where it’s, like, seriously dark. She summons to the castle the Oracle of the Moon (Tituss Burgess) and the Oracle of the Sun (Nathan Lane), a pair of little guys who arrive by Uber-like frog. Before they can reveal to Ellian how the curse can be broken, her mom tries to eat one of them, causing them to bolt. The Oracle of the Sun, left, voiced by Nathan Lane, and the Oracle of the Moon, voiced by Tituss Burgess, are shocked at what they see in a scene from “Spellbound.” (Courtesy of Netflix) Ellian chases them down, of course, and, with Mom and Dad in tow, sets about her quest to return them to normalcy. As the three spend time together, Ellian is able to communicate, increasingly effectively, with Queen Ellsmere (Kidman) and King Solon (Bardem). It is then that we see the darkness that surrounded them was not just figurative; the more intelligently they can speak, the more they argue with one another. Despite this friction, Ellian continues a search for a source of lightness — again, both literal and metaphorical — to return things to as they should be. Penned by Lauren Hynek, Elizabeth Martin and Julia Miranda, “Spellbound” offers some valuable lessons to young viewers — for whom this film is mainly targeted — including the importance of handling negative feelings in a positive way. There’s also a lesson for parents, however. As “Spellbound” progresses, Princess Ellian, voiced by Rachel Zegler, is able to communicate with her mother, Queen Ellsmere, voiced by Nicole Kidman, and father, King Solon, voiced by Javier Bardem. (Courtesy of Netflix) If nothing else, the not-so-neat-and-tidy resolution of the story isn’t exactly what you’d predict. You just wish the journey were a little more entertaining. The jokes are OK, not hilarious, and the songs are merely fine — certainly below Menkin’s best work. Nevertheless, Zegler’s lovely singing voice elevates those songs, and the actress gives a strong performance overall. And Lithgow — who voiced the villainous Lord Farquaad in “Shrek” — is fun, as you’d expect, especially after Bolinar runs afoul of some magic himself. One important element “Spellbound” lacks is an actual antagonist, someone trying to stop Ellian in her endeavor. Early on, you think that will be a military general (Olga Merediz) kept in the dark about what has happened with the king and queen, but she offers only token resistance. Flink is the colorful little sidekick of Princess Ellian in “Spellbound.” (Courtesy of Netflix) With its bright-and-colorful palette (but only so-so design work), “Spellbound” should keep the little ones busy for nearly two hours as you prepare for Thanksgiving. And that’s a real magic trick, isn’t it? ‘Spellbound’ Where: Netflix. When: Now. Rated: PG for thematic elements and some action/peril. Runtime: 1 hour, 50 minutes. Stars (of four): 2.5.