When looking at modern Disney films, the two key things that make them appealing to audiences besides their stunning animation are the emotional storytelling, as well as the heartwarming messages that accompany them while doing so under a new cultural perspective. With Disney's Encanto, a new enchanting story is born with it not just providing enormous amounts of fun for the whole family but presenting a highly respectable form of cultural authenticity. The newest animated tale in the ever-expanding Disney vault offers audiences a unique story that's colorful, enjoyable and bound to warm (As well as win) the heart of audiences.
Encanto's plot centers around a young girl named Maribel (Voiced by Stephanie Beatriz), whose frustrated as being the first in her family to not receive the gift of a special power. Feeling like an outsider, she searches for a way to get back into her grandmother's good graces. Encanto's plot aims to explore Columbian culture and does so with delivering an important message for audiences, which emphasizes the importance of every family member and that big problems can be overcome when people work together. Add to that breathtaking animation, catchy songs, and Encanto proves itself to be a unique catch for families that's not only visually dazzling to watch but also moving and heartfelt with its honoring of multigenerational families.
The voice acting performed by Encanto's cast does much in bringing charm as well as emotion to the story. Stephanie Beatriz completely shines as 15-year old Mirabel Madrigal, who lacks the special gift that the rest of her family possesses. Beatriz portrays her character as being quirky, but also an emotional and empathetic person whom the audience instantly becomes connected with. Maria Cecilia Botero does terrific as Maribel's stern grandmother and the families matriarch Abuela Madrigal. Botero does well with playing Abuela as being a tough authoritative figure at first with the audience later understanding her motives though her characters revelation. John Lequizamo does terrific in giving a sympathetic performance as Maribel's ostracized uncle Bruno, who carries the ability to see the future. Mauro Castillo does well as Maribel's uncle, Felix, who helps to balance her character out along with enjoying himself. The rest of the cast give notably fun performances with Jessica Darrow as Maribel's second oldest sister Luisa, who carries superhuman strength but harbors anxiety about letting her family down, Angie Cepeda as Maribel's mother Juliet's who can heal others through her cooking, Diana Guerrero as Maribel's oldest sister Isabela whose considered the most successful sibling in the family, yet struggles to keep up her glamorous image, and Carolina Gaitan as Maribel's aunt Pepa who can control the weather. As a whole, Encanto's cast delivers fantastic performances that add to the stories authenticity.
Directors Jared Bush and Bryan Howard do a fine job of giving the story a visual style that looks sharp and is absolutely stunning. A lot of great detail went into showcasing Columbian lifestyle in the film and it shows through the animations costume and set-design. As the film demonstrates, Disney continues to push the barrier in terms of what they can achieve technologically with the results being among their finest visual works yet. Encanto is a film that feels rich in color with the films soundtrack consisting of songs, that are both clever and catchy. Although the story moves at a consistently fast-paced like other Disney films, it slows down enough to deliver quiet moments which add depth to the characters, allowing the audience to see into each ones heart. In bringing Latin heritage to the screen, Bush and Howard do so in a way which feels enormously sincere and respectable while crafting an enchanting world for young audiences, as well as an experience that the whole family can enjoy.
Encanto's writing places heavy emphasis on themes regarding family, miracles, second chances, expectations, and the pressure of having special abilities. The films message about value lying within one person and not their performance is pivotal for young audiences to hear, and is presented in a way that's both poignant and moving. The script does a notably strong job of fleshing out all of the stories main characters with no one feeling shortchanged in regards to receiving their key moments of development. The character of Maribel despite being well-structured, fits the typical Disney female character arc in which she must face the ultimate test of being the only one who can save not just her family, but also her magic and home while exceeding all expectations placed upon her. As admirable as Encanto's screenplay is in pushing diversity and cultural appropriation with its plot, it somewhat suffers from being formulaic and predictable with key subplots being utilized, that feel extremely familiar to audiences such as the sibling rivalry between Maribel and Isabella, Maribel being at odds with her grandmother, and the misunderstanding regarding Bruno with his character appearing redeemable at the end. The story also lacks a traditional Disney villain, which makes the films third act feel a bit unexciting, despite wrapping things up smoothly.
Even with these issues, Encanto's greatest strength as a story lies within its representation of family, while proudly serving as a love letter to Columbian culture. There is much to adore and appreciate about this film from its appealing characters who feel relatable, to its breathtaking animation and gorgeous display of Latin culture. Combine that with Lin-Manuel-Miranda's toe-tapping music and Encanto proves itself to be an ideal catch for audiences, as well as a huge winner for Disney. While it doesn't boast the most original Disney plot, Encanto hits all the right notes in entertaining its audience with numerous laugh-out-loud ones followed by those that are both shocking and tear-jerking. The film will unquestionably make audiences feel good regarding the films representation of different cultures. Given the sincerity behind telling its story, its hard not to think of Encanto as being anything less than a solid piece of animated entertainment with a tremendous amount of heart.
Final Verdict: For both families and Disney fans, Encanto is a must see triumph.
Images Courtesy Of Disney
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