Characters in dire situations in need of escape to a world of hidden magic. A secluded castle that serves as an educational facility for those who require special support for their gifts. A battle between forces of light and darkness for control of the realm. Perhaps you’re thinking Harry Potter is back in action after all these years? Well, he’s not, but that’s the general idea behind “The School for Good and Evil,” which offers another immersion into YA dramatics featuring school year challenges, complete with a quirky staff heavily involved in the lives of their pupils. The material was originally a novel by Soman Chainani, published in 2013, and now it's a franchise-starter from director Paul Feig (“Bridesmaids,” “Ghostbusters: Answer the Call”), who’s in charge of developing the material into a series of movies. “The School for Good and Evil” is the first installment of the saga (Chainani has created multiple sequels for his literary empire), and the production works hard to arrange friendships, romances, antagonisms, and magical hierarchy. What the picture doesn’t have is charm, with Feig’s iffy sense of humor and love of broadness smothering the world-building meant to be the star of this enormously derivative show. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com