Movie · 1997 · Animation, Family, Fantasy, Adventure · 1h 34m · G · English
Curator score: 7.1/10 (523.2K ratings)
Discover the adventure behind the greatest mystery of our time.
Overview
Ten years after she was separated from her family, an eighteen-year-old orphan with vague memories of the past sets out to Paris in hopes of reuniting with her grandmother. She is accompanied by two con men, who intend to pass her off as the Grand Duchess Anastasia to the Dowager Empress for a reward.
Ratings
Curator score: 7.1/10
IMDb: 7.2/10
Letterboxd: 3.88/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
Metacritic: 61
TMDB: 7.6/10
Director
Don Bluth, Gary Goldman
Production
Fox Animation Studios, 20th Century Fox
Cast
Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Christopher Lloyd, Hank Azaria, Bernadette Peters, Kirsten Dunst, Angela Lansbury, Rick Jones, Andrea Martin, Glenn Walker Harris Jr., Debra Mooney, Arthur Malet, Charity James, Liz Callaway, Lacey Chabert, Jim Cummings, Jonathan Dokuchitz, Jeff Blumenkrantz, Billy Porter
Where to watch
Disney Plus
Curator Review
Verdict
A glossy, romantic animated adventure with real charm: sweeping songs, a playful con-artist dynamic, and a surprisingly effective mix of fairy-tale wish fulfillment and historical melodrama. It’s especially appealing if you like strong heroine energy, enemies-to-lovers banter, and old-school studio animation with big musical numbers.
Best for
fans of animated musicals
viewers who like romance with banter
family audiences
people who enjoy fairy-tale adventure
fans of 1990s hand-drawn animation
Skip if
you want strict historical accuracy
you dislike musical storytelling
you prefer modern animation styles
you’re looking for a darker or more adult take on Russian history
Overview
Anastasia is one of the most polished late-era animated musicals of the 1990s, blending fairy-tale romance with a lost-princess adventure. It moves with confidence, balancing warm humor, sweeping sentiment, and a strong sense of visual elegance. The result feels both classic and distinctly of its era, with a heroine who has enough wit and independence to keep the story from becoming too sugary.
Worth noting
The movie’s biggest strengths are its chemistry and its music. The central relationship has genuine spark, and the supporting comic energy gives the film a lively, slightly roguish texture. Even when the plot leans into familiar “chosen identity” beats, the presentation is so polished that it remains easy to enjoy.
Bottom line
It does soften and romanticize its historical backdrop, so it works best as a fantasy adventure rather than a serious period drama. But as a crowd-pleasing animated feature with memorable songs, rich atmosphere, and a strong emotional payoff, it still holds up well.
Top Letterboxd reviews
cathy (4★) · 7159 likes
can you believe Vlad was actually keeping tally of how many times Anya verbally destroyed Demitri
mia lee vicino (3.5★) · 6483 likes
i can't believe this movie actually ends with a bat getting laid
James (Schaffrillas) (3.5★) · 5594 likes
The villain was entirely pointless to the story but on the other hand In The Dark of the Night is a banger, do you see the dilemma I'm in
caitlin (5★) · 4971 likes
Anastasia: *wears amazing clothes*
Anastasia: *loves Dimitri but never lets him boss her around*
Anastasia: *is a princess*
Anastasia: *complains about men being babies*
Anastasia: *is everything I strive to be*
lauren (4★) · 4678 likes
dimitri & anya are the hottest animated couple. i said what i said.