Encanto Movie Review

On November 24th, 2021, Walt Disney Studios released its 60th animated film, Encanto.

This article contains minor spoilers for Disney’s film Encanto. 

On November 24th, 2021, Walt Disney Studios released its 60th animated film, Encanto.

Encanto is set in a village in Colombia where the Madrigal family lives. Every Madrigal child receives a magical gift when they turn five years old. These gifts range from super-strength to controlling the weather. But 15-year-old Mirabel was never given a gift, and now has to struggle with being normal in a family of miracles.

One of the focuses of the film is the rich culture of Colombia. Encanto’s music, visuals, and writing contain elements of Colombian culture and traditions. The filmmakers went on a two-week trip to Colombia back in 2018 in order to research culture for the film. Encanto also stays culturally accurate by mostly casting voice actors with Colombian heritage. 

Encanto strays away from the classic Disney hero-villain story by focusing on family. The antagonist is not an evil mastermind, but instead the expectations set by the family. This creates a story much more emotionally impactful than any Disney villain film. Northwest sophomore Ash Shipman agrees that the family focus benefits the movie. They explained, “[The story] made you connect with the characters more than focus on the plot, which I thought was nice.”

Another highlight of Encanto is its character diversity. Not only does the Madrigal family range in personality, they also have a wide range of skin tones and hair textures. This is a refreshing representation of Latinx people’s diversity. By depicting a diverse family, Encanto spreads its message that family is not necessarily defined by shared traits (or magical gifts), but rather, the people you love.

Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of the popular musical Hamilton, wrote the soundtrack for Encanto. The famous composer is a huge pull for audiences, especially for previous fans of his music. Northwest sophomore Mallory Weber explained the crowd appeal of Miranda’s work. She stated, “[His music] is super catchy and fun to sing along to… Hamilton was great, Moana was great, so I think [Encanto] will be great too.”  Within his soundtrack, “Dos Oruguitas” stands out as a remarkable song. It adds beautiful depth–and some tears–to one of Encanto’s most emotional scenes. Otherwise, most songs aren’t too memorable, but gems like “Dos Oruguitas” and even “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”, a song about the estranged uncle of the Madrigals, lift the soundtrack up.

Encanto is by no means a perfect film. Many of its characters are unexplored, and its ending feels unsatisfying. Northwest junior Logan Cooper expanded on the shortcomings of the ending. She described, “It felt like there wasn’t enough. There needed to be more, and the character development might have been rushed a little bit.” But despite its faults, the story still holds strength in its message and emotion, and the film’s culture and music give it charm. Like its heroine, Encanto stumbles at times, but still manages to spread love and joy. 

Encanto is in theaters until December 24th, 2021, when it will start streaming on Disney+.