Ends strong, in an ultimately smoother, smarter sequel.

Offers enough glossy good cheer to appeal to everyone.

Fans of the first "Princess Diaries" will find enough laughs and diamonds in the rough to sustain them on their way to this important moral.

Although all the key players are back - including, fans will be glad to hear, Heather Matarazzo as cynical sidekick Lilly Moscovitz - the freshness of the first is long gone.

Has just enough fairy dust to charm its target audience.

We all love a good fairy tale, but the enchantment is missing in this predictable sequel.

As a movie, it's a mixed bag with a huge amount of heart.

As reassuring and soothing as a nursery story.

Perhaps the best film ever aimed at eight year-old girls to be directed by a 69 year-old man.

Like its predecessor, it's Hollywood hokum at its most glamorous and effective.

Like the first movie, Princess Diaries 2 relies primarily on the chemistry and screen appeal of Andrews and Hathaway to elevate the storytelling above the level of mush.

Whenever Andrews - that incarnation of the sensible and the sensitive - glides on screen, PD2 sparkles.

Sometimes charming, sometimes a tad too silly and all the time predictable.

If Andrews oozes regal poise and Hathaway radiates movie star allure -- and they do -- credit the actresses, not this flimsy fairy tale.