The year 2020 has been the year of the Netflix controversy hasn’t it. First, you had Cuties causing all sorts of problems in America. The Crown has the British government confused about the difference between drama and real-life. More recently, Hillbilly Elegy has been creating some strife thanks to its source material. Just when you think it can’t get any worse, there’s another social media storm. Now, it’s about their latest Christmas release The Princess Switch: Switched Again. Fans have taken to Twitter to share their confusion and, in some cases, outrage that two characters from The Christmas Prince franchise appeared in a scene towards the end. Personally, I didn’t even register, so well done to these people for actually watching the film properly. As we all remember, in the original film, Vanessa Hudgens settles down to watch The Christmas Prince at one point in the film. So, how do these clearly fictional characters turn up in the actual film? It’s a big question but not quite as important as “who cares?” Or even as “why did they even make a second film?”

Of all the Netflix Christmas movies that have been released in the last few years, The Princess Switch was probably the only that least required a sequel. There’s a reason why these switched place films don’t get sequels. You kind of get all you can get out of the premise in one film. After that, you’re just repeating yourself. I mean, in the first film, two identical women switch places and meet the men of their dreams. Why do they have any need to switch again? Then again, Netflix is a cash cow and was never going to ignore the chance to get more Christmas views. So, we’re back with Vanessa Hudgens playing dual characters. Hopefully, she’s had the chance to practice her British accent this time. She’s not quite Dick Van Dyke but it wasn’t funny. Even in 2020, I think it’s a bit too early to be getting into Christmas films but I decided to give it a chance anyway.

I’ll be honest, after watching the second The Princess Switch movie, I’d be happy not to write a review at all and just spend this time suggesting better titles. It feels as though they missed an opportunity to have a bit of fun with the title. The original title hardly took a lot of time to come up with but to just add “Switch Again” on the end? It’s very uninspired. And what even is switched again? Nobody ever has any reason to say switched again. They didn’t even need to do anything too clever. It didn’t need to be that funny because nobody expects that from Netflix Christmas films. Any old pun would have worked. All they had to do was Google it. Hell, they could have asked me, I’ve got a bunch. Admittedly, some of them are better than others but all of them are better than the actual title.

• The Princess Switch: Resting Switch Face
• The Princess Switch: Switch Better Have My Money
• The Princess Switch: The Switch is Back
• The Princess Switch: Switch Please
• The Princess Switch: Life’s a Switch
• The Princess Switch: Payback’s a Switch
• The Princess Switch: Snitches Get Switches
• The Princess Switch: Bitches Get Switches
• The Princess Switch: Every Switch Way
• The Princess Switch: Switch One’s Switch
• The Princess Switch: Switch Hunt
• The Princess Switch: Basic Switches
• The Princess Switch: Switch Slapped
• The Princess Switch: Son of a Switch
• The Princess Switch: Toss a Coin to Your Switcher
• The Princess Switch: The Wicked Switch of the West
• The Princess Switch: Ding Dong the Switch is Dead
• The Princess Switch: Colder Than a Switcher’s Tit
• The Princess Switch: 2 Princess 2 Switchy
• The Princess Switch: Tokyo Drift

I could go on but I suspect that 20 is enough. But you see what I mean? The film’s title shows a distinct lack of effort and the same can be said about the film itself. Last time, Vanessa Hudgens switched places with Vanessa Hudgens. This time? She swaps places with Vanessa Hudgens and Vanessa Hudgens. Yep, there’s a whole new layer of switchery to spice things up this time. The only problem is, the film lacks charm, drama, real danger, or any whiff of originality. It’s predictable and doesn’t really add anything to the original story. It’s utterly inconsequential, which is why I can’t be bothered talking about it. Let’s just say that if you enjoyed the first one, you’ll probably love it.