Encanto – A Bright and Colorful Yet Thin Animated Feature

As we approach the American thanksgiving weekend, the Disney machine keeps chugging along and delivers yet again another winner for families to enjoy at the movie theatre. Following Raya and the Last Dragon, Encanto continues the streak of representation across Walt Disney Animation Studios animated properties and is likely to tap into a new audiences with a bright and colorful Colombian tale that will certainly be a feast for the eyes accompanied by some entertaining musical numbers that are sure to get them singing along. Perhaps appealing more to younger audiences by leaning into that spectacle a little too much over the course of its surprisingly short running time, it does get repetitive as it takes away from what is arguably a thin story that was admittedly full of potential based on the vast world and characters it introduces. In the end, maybe it tries to do too much beyond the spectacle but that being said, the film is about moments and for that, the film succeeds as the power of those emotional highs make up for the film as a whole. Not to mention, the film introduces a new relatable Disney princess that will speak to countless audiences.

Encanto follows the exploits of the magical Madrigal family from the mountains of Colombia, living in a magical house at the center of a vibrant community known as an Encanto. The Encanto also possesed the ability to grant children, as they came of age, a unique gift. However, Mirabel (Beatriz) was the first to break that tradition. Looking for a place to belong and to fit in with her magical family in spite of her lack of a magical gift was not easy for her as her inadequacies were largely seen as less than and her, overlooked. Mirabel would soon get a chance to possibly prove herself as she discovered that her family’s magical home and thus their magical gifts were in danger. Taking the long way around, the film  throws in several musical numbers along the way to develop characters and the setting but this quickly creates a growing disconnect with audiences as they just become repetitive and add little to the story as it dragged for the most part. Though it still had its emotional moments, many will surely wonder what the film could have been like if the story was told in a more straightforward way.

Mirabel is such a compelling character to watch and was essentially the heart of the family. Her underdog and/or outlier status in contrast to the rest of her family made her relatable and will easily make her a character to connect to on an emotional level. It’s just a shame that the film did not give her much of a chance, buried underneath the weight of her family. Meanwhile, the other subplots were nowhere near as interesting as they were nowhere near as developed as her though they would all somewhat play a part in her journey as saving the magic around her family also meant discovering her purpose and finding her place in her family. This story was fun to watch despite being undercut to a certain extent by all the musical numbers. Ultimately, the final outcome shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone as little did she know, there was more to it all than she had realized as her family was something more than the magic abilities that defined them. The power of family, while not a new concept in film, was still a powerful one this time around with Encanto but more character development would have further underscored this moment’s potential emotional impact.

Nevertheless, the animation in Encanto was phenomenal which should not come as a shock to anyone. The bright colors and detail amongst its character and environments make the film truly pop in every scene, bringing the different personalities of the film’s many characters and the Madrigal family’s magical home, known as cassita, to life. As far as the former was concerned, there could have been more in terms of the other characters but that being said, it could still happen knowing Disney’s propensity to leverage their many properties. The cassita was basically another character in the story, playing a large role in the story beyond some quirky moments. In the end, the best part of the film was Beatriz’s performance as Mirabel. Imbuing so much personality and energy into such a relatable character, she was an absolute joy to watch and she could definitely sing.

At the end of the day, Encanto may not be for everyone and may not bring much new to the table but for what it is, it does its job.

still courtesy of Disney

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.