Bayala is a magical adventure that takes place in a mystical world. It is a story that captures the imagination of both children and adults alike. The tale follows the journey of a group of brave and courageous beings known as the fairies. These fairies live in harmony with nature and are responsible for protecting the magical creatures that inhabit their world. They possess unique and distinct powers that allow them to communicate with and understand these creatures. But Bayala is not without its challenges.
There are strong female characters throughout -- both good and evil. Surah is brave and true. She is viewed differently because she grew up in a neighboring kingdom. Eyela is just and pragmatic. Power-hungry Ophira is clearly presented as an evil baddie. Humor is drawn from petty disputes between the elf kings and queens who lack humility and all think they're right. The dragon characters suffer unnecessary gender stereotyping -- the mommy is pink, the daddy is blue.
Novels tend to be a bit slower paced in my experience, and being chapter based there s a lot of little set pieces the reader encounters throughout the novel. Parents need to know that Bayala A Magical Adventure also known as The Fairy Princess and the Unicorn is an animated adventure with likable characters, positive messages, and mild cartoon peril.
But Bayala is not without its challenges. The fairies must face the constant threat of evil forces who seek to disrupt the balance of their world. These antagonists, led by the wicked Shadow Queen, will stop at nothing to gain control over the magical creatures and exploit their powers for their own gain.
Bayala – A Magical Adventure (AKA, The Fairy Princess & The Unicorn) (2019)
“The fairy world of Bayala is a magical country where fairies have been living in harmony with nature for centuries. However, one day, peace is put at risk when the evil fairy queen steals the precious dragon eggs from the place the kingdom’s magic lies. All of Bayala is in danger, but hope arises when a dragon egg is found.”
-Anonymous, Rotten Tomatoes.
Some thoughts from me (Potential spoilers below)…
According to Wikipedia, Bayala was originally a toy-line that spawned a book series, so presumably this movie is based off one or more of those books? That would make a lot of sense in hindsight because there’s a few interesting plot points that the film glosses over. At the beginning of the film we’re introduced to Surah, a Sun Fairy Princess who is kidnapped as a child by the evil Night Fairy Ophira. Surah’s kidnapping and eventual escape spans a good few years in-universe, but are told to the audience very quickly within the first 5 or so minutes of the film. I’m guessing Surah’s early years are their own entrant in the book series as it’s a solid premise for a fantasy story, but we unfortunately don’t get to experience much of it. This is a shame because I found Surah’s backstory to be far more interesting than the plot the film covers.
The main focus of the film is about resolving Ophira’s scheme to steal all of the dragon eggs in the land, because the eggs play a pivotal role in maintaining magic across all the fairy realms. When a previously hidden dragon egg is discovered a rag-tag group of fairies, including Surah, are assembled to return the egg to it’s parents… and of course, along the way they end up confronting Ophira and rescuing the remaining eggs as well.
Along the way, we see Surah struggle with not feeling like she belongs with the other Sun Fairies. In this universe there are different races of Fairies that have different abilities, with each race having their own specific wing design. Because Surah was in the Night Fairy realm when she was old enough to receive her wings, her wings look like Night Fairy wings. This causes a great deal of strife for Surah, since Ophira’s betrayal everyone gives Night Fairies the side eye. Surah’s friends and family defend her best they can, but when civilians flee at the sight of your shadow it’s hard not to feel like an outsider in your own home. Surah also has a twin sister Sera, though ignoring their wing differences they aren’t identical twins. This is never really covered in the film, maybe it is in the book series, but I wonder what Surah feels when she looks at her twin sister and sees a Sun Fairy Princess who the general populace looks up to and respects. Probably doesn’t help her mindset when she has a prime example of the Princess who fits in to their community.
Adding to all that, Surah has seemingly also gained the magic of the Night Fairies, specifically the ability to cast the same very powerful storm-based magic that Ophira frequently uses. At first Surah has issues controlling this magic as the connection of it to Ophira makes her feel like it’s evil, and that she herself may become Evil one day.
I’ve talked a lot about Surah so far, but she really is the most interesting part of the film! It’s just a huge shame that the film doesn’t really capitalize on what an interesting character she is. Surah’s struggles inform a lot of her motivations, but the majority of the plot is focusing on the plight of the dragon eggs, the characters journey to return the dragon egg to it’s parents, and the journey that the other fairies go on to attend the “Dragon Feast”, which is a sort of ritual/party that the Fairies attend to welcome in the new born Dragons. While Surah and her group try their best to not draw any attention, they of course get spotted by Ophira and things get a little complicated as they try and outmaneuver her. This is one of those films where summarizing it all makes sense and feels like it’d be a pretty good story… but something in the execution itself prevents the film from feeling like a well-paced, engaging story.
And I think that engaging part was my biggest issue with this movie, it just didn’t grab me. There’s some interesting things within the film, like all of Surah’s story and characterization, but that gets swallowed up by a film that just felt a bit dull? I wonder if maybe the pace could’ve been improved a bit, I think maybe this is another tell that the movie was based on a set of novels as what works in one medium does not necessarily work in another. Novels tend to be a bit slower paced in my experience, and being chapter based there’s a lot of little set pieces the reader encounters throughout the novel. When you have that same slow paced, episodic structure in a movie it can fall a bit flat if not handled properly.
Oh, and it should be mentioned that the titular Unicorn in this film appears for all of 10 seconds. Yes, unfortunately this film is a victim of someone’s hair-brained marketing ploy, I guess Unicorns are just more marketable than Fairy Princesses alone. It’s probably the one thing that gets mentioned in every review of this movie, because really how could you not? I wonder how many kids were disappointed because they were really looking forward to that unicorn, only for it to essentially be a background character for a very small portion of the film.
Anyways, I’ll end this off by saying I’m on the fence about whether this film would be a good fit for a movie night, as I personally struggled to maintain interest while watching it. I think it’d a decent enough fantasy for younger kids, though I’d be tempted to introduce them to the book series over the film. While I haven’t read the book series I can’t help but imagine it’s a lot more engaging.
Ist ja drollig, was man unter der Marke "Bayala" alles kaufen kann. Ich würde allerdings immer noch keinen Cent dafür ausgeben. Aber ich gehöre ja auch nicht zur Zielgruppe. Technisch sah der Imagefilm für eine deutsch-luxemburgische Produktion zufriedenstellend aus, auch wenn es künstlich wirkte.
Die Story war regelrecht einschläfernd und durchgehend langweilig. Was sollte eigentlich das Einhorn, welches zuvor mit keiner Silbe erwähnt wurde und plötzlich auftauchte? Keine Ahnung, aber im Shop kann man sie für 14,99 € erwerben.
Amidst this backdrop of conflict, the fairies embark on a quest to save their homeland and protect their beloved creatures. Along the way, they encounter mythical creatures, uncover hidden secrets, and form unbreakable bonds of friendship. The story teaches important lessons about the power of teamwork, courage, and the importance of protecting and preserving the natural world. It also explores themes of friendship, family, and self-discovery. The magical world of Bayala is brought to life through stunning visuals, captivating storytelling, and memorable characters. Each fairy possesses a unique personality and set of abilities, making them relatable and endearing to the audience. Bayala is not just a story, it is an immersive experience that allows viewers to escape into a world filled with wonder and enchantment. Through its magical adventure, it reminds us of the beauty and magic that can be found in the natural world and the importance of protecting and cherishing it..
Reviews for "Immerse yourself in the captivating world of Bayala on a magical adventure of a lifetime."
1. Emma - 1 star - I watched "Bayala: A Magical Adventure" with my kids and we were all disappointed. The animation was poor quality and the storyline was confusing and choppy. The characters lacked depth and development, and it was difficult to connect with them. Overall, we found the movie to be dull and uninteresting. I would not recommend it.
2. John - 2 stars - "Bayala: A Magical Adventure" had potential, but it fell short. The concept of a magical world with different fantastical creatures sounded appealing, but the execution was lacking. The animation was mediocre and gave a dated feel to the movie. Additionally, the plot seemed rushed and lacked coherence. It was challenging to follow along and understand the characters' motivations. Overall, I was disappointed with the film and don't think it lived up to its potential.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Bayala: A Magical Adventure," but it didn't meet my expectations. The animation quality was subpar, with stiff movements and lack of detail. Furthermore, the dialogue felt forced and the voice acting was lackluster. The story itself lacked originality and failed to captivate my interest. I found it difficult to stay engaged throughout the movie. Overall, I was disappointed with the film and wouldn't recommend it to others.
4. Alex - 3 stars - "Bayala: A Magical Adventure" had its moments, but it failed to maintain a consistent level of excitement. The animation was average, but the artwork was visually appealing at times. However, the plot felt predictable and lacked any surprises. The characters were forgettable and lacked depth. While the movie had its enjoyable moments, it ultimately fell short of being a memorable and captivating experience.