The demon of witchcraft is a malevolent force that has been feared and revered throughout history. In various cultures, this entity is believed to have the power to manipulate and control the mystical energies surrounding witchcraft. While some view it as a sinister being, others perceive it as a deity to be worshipped and placated. The idea of a demon associated with witchcraft can be traced back to ancient times. In ancient Mesopotamia, the demon Pazuzu was believed to be a powerful spirit who could bring harm and misfortune. He was often depicted as a malevolent figure with a lion's head, eagle's wings, and a scorpion's tail, and was associated with witches and sorcerers.
Aina Jarvine’s animated fantasy adventure. When the evil fairy queen steals some precious dragon eggs, the fairy world of Bayala is put in danger and only two sisters can save it. Also known as The Fairy Princess and the Unicorn, the story concerns the fairy world of Bayala, which is an enchanted country where fairies have been existing in harmony with nature for thousands of years. However, one day, quiet is put at peril when the nasty fairy queen takes away the valuable dragon eggs from the location the kingdom’s magic is. All of Bayala is in hazard, but optimism ascends when a dragon egg is spotted. Madison Mullahey and Jessica Webb both give okay voice performances in their respective…
Also known as The Fairy Princess and the Unicorn, the story concerns the fairy world of Bayala, which is an enchanted country where fairies have been existing in harmony with nature for thousands of years. nothing like cheap animation and a garbled, nonsensical plot to make your eyes glaze there s nothing outright horrific in this but everything feels cheap and gives a big that ll do vibe also are they elves or fairies or some weird combo of both.
He was often depicted as a malevolent figure with a lion's head, eagle's wings, and a scorpion's tail, and was associated with witches and sorcerers. In medieval Europe, witchcraft was seen as a threat to the established order, and those accused of practicing it were often persecuted and executed. The idea of demonic involvement in witchcraft became widespread during this time, with demons such as Asmodeus, Baphomet, and Beelzebub being associated with witches and their supposed powers.
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.
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
In some cultures, the demon of witchcraft is seen as a necessary evil. In African and Afro-Caribbean religions, for example, deities such as Papa Legba and Oshun are associated with witchcraft but are also revered and worshipped for their power and wisdom. These deities are believed to have the ability to grant blessings and protection to those who seek their assistance. In modern times, the demon of witchcraft continues to fascinate and terrify people. It is often depicted in popular culture, such as novels, movies, and television shows. These depictions vary widely, with some portraying the demon as a malevolent force out to destroy humanity and others presenting a more complex and nuanced view of witchcraft and its practitioners. The main idea here is that the demon of witchcraft has been a part of human mythology and belief systems for centuries. Whether seen as a malevolent force to be feared or a deity to be worshipped, this entity continues to captivate our imagination and shape our understanding of the mystical and occult..
Reviews for "The Ethics and Moral Implications of Working with the Demon of Witchcraft"
1. John - 2/5 stars - I was really disappointed with "Demon of Witchcraft". The storyline was confusing and lacked coherence. It felt like the author was trying to cram too many elements into the book, resulting in a messy and convoluted plot. Additionally, the characters were poorly developed and lacked depth. I couldn't connect with any of them, which made it difficult to become invested in the story. Overall, I found the book to be underwhelming and would not recommend it to others.
2. Sarah - 1/5 stars - I couldn't even finish "Demon of Witchcraft" as the writing style was extremely difficult to read. The sentences were long and convoluted, making it hard to follow the narrative. Furthermore, the pacing of the book was off, with some scenes being dragged out unnecessarily and others feeling rushed. The lack of proper editing was also evident, with numerous grammatical and spelling errors throughout the text. I regret purchasing this book and would advise others to steer clear of it.
3. Emily - 2/5 stars - "Demon of Witchcraft" had an intriguing premise, but unfortunately, the execution fell short. The writing style was dull and lacked the necessary descriptive elements to truly immerse the reader in the story. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to believe in the interactions between the characters. Additionally, the plot twists were predictable and lacked originality. I was hoping for a captivating and thrilling read, but I found myself bored and uninterested instead. I would not recommend this book to fans of the genre.