: While critics gave the film generally negative reviews for its narrative, they widely praised the cast and visual effects .

The movie was released on , and follows best friends Sophie and Agatha. They are kidnapped and taken to an enchanted institution where children are trained to become either fairy-tale heroes (the School for Good) or villains (the School for Evil).

: The film is based on the first novel of a series that includes two trilogies: The School Years and The Camelot Years .