Encanto Film Review
We may not talk about Bruno, but we will DEFINITELY talk about Walt Disney Animation Studios newest feature film, Encanto.
It’s pretty safe to say that just about everyone is at least somewhat familiar with the ultra popular Disney film directed by Jared Bush, Byron Howard, and Charise Castro Smith, regardless of how frequently you tune in to Disney projects. I mean, the soundtrack alone literally broke Adele’s 6-week streak at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Adele. That’s no easy feat, my friends, yet it’s easy to see why exactly this movie has made its way into the hearts of millions of people around the world, even without its stellar songs. (Although c’mon, it’s Lin Manuel Miranda we’re talking about here- of course we’re going to love the songs).
The story follows the story of Mirabel Madrigal, the only member of the magical Madrigal family who was not given a special ability or “gift” by the family's enchanted casita. Because of this, she has always been a bit of a family outcast, seeing as she isn’t able to help her community with a magical gift like the rest of her family. However, once the family’s magic and casita is put in danger, it is up to Mirabel to save her family’s miracle before it is lost forever.
Can I just start off by saying just how amazing this movie is from both a visual and a cultural perspective? Not only is the animation absolutely gorgeous - with the entirety of the film taking place in a beautiful Colombian village filled with vibrant colors, lighting, and imagery, but the meticulous care and attention that was put into making this film as Colombian as possible is, frankly, incredible.
As a Colombian myself, I was absolutely overjoyed to see so many references to this rich culture that is rarely portrayed in mainstream media, much less in a film with as much worldwide appeal as one produced by Disney. The food, the animals, the clothes, the dialogue, the scenery, the songs, you name it, are all dripping with distinctly Colombian attributes that just make me giddy every time I see them. During a family dinner, the family eats ajiaco, a super popular Colombian soup, and the orchid, the national flower of Colombian, is embroidered on one the the characters dresses. Toucans, capybaras, and a jaguar also make their way into the film, all animals that are native to Colombia. And Disney is no stranger to incorporating authentic cultural notes into their movies – I mean, just look at Coco or Moana for proof. It’s clear that this movie was made with specialized interest in portraying this culture in an authentic way, and that really adds to the richness of this movie as a whole. Of course, every aspect of Colombian culture is brought to life with the stunning animation and visuals that make Encanto one of the most beautiful movies to date.
And while I could rave for days about how gorgeous Encanto is as a film, I absolutely have to talk about its colorful cast of characters. Mirabel, for one, is an amazing protagonist that we identify with and come to root for within minutes of seeing her on screen. Because she is the only member of her family without a gift, we as the audience immediately feel for her because we’ve all had moments in our lives when we’ve felt inadequate compared to the people around us. Mirabel appears at first to essentially be the only “average” person in this family, and therefore the member of the family that we, the decidedly non-magical people in the audience, can identify with. And yet, I use the word “average” cautiously because, as a person, Mirabel is anything but. Let’s be honest, we would totally understand if Mirabel was bitter or resentful of her hyper-extraordinary family members who have, subconsciously or not, alienated her for the majority of her life (they didn’t even notice when she wasn’t in the family photo). And yet, Mirabel is the person who is the most invested in saving her family’s gifts when they begin to fade. She is the one who is most eager to support the family despite constantly feeling out of place. So no, Mirabel is not “average” – she’s, decidedly, a way better person than the vast majority of people in the world. Most of us wish we were as altruistic and supportive as her.
But even though Encanto hit it out of the park with its protagonist doesn’t mean it doesn’t give plenty of love to the other characters as well. Mirabel’s entire family is full of unique and enthralling characters that just about everyone on TikTok is collectively drooling over. You have Mirabel’s super supportive parents: Julietta (who can heal anyone with one bite of her food), and her lovably clumsy father Augustin, who you can tell is really trying his best to be an amazing dad. Then there’s her constantly stressed Aunt Pepa whose emotions affect the weather, and the scenes she shares with her husband Felix are an absolute joy to watch. Mirabel’s three cousins Dolores (who has super hearing) Camilo (a shapeshifter), and Antonio (who can talk to animals) are absolute icons. Although they don’t get as much screen time as Mirabel’s immediate family, they each still have their own moments that let them shine and make them fan favorites. And then there’s Mirabel's two sisters, Isabela, who can make flowers grow, and Luisa, who has superhuman strength. Isabela and Luisa serve as really interesting characters in my opinion because they each represent exactly what Mirabel has been longing for her entire life: Luisa’s strength makes her an invaluable asset to the community seeing as she can lift up churches and reroute rivers on a daily basis, while Isabela is the “golden child” of the family who can do no wrong and is loved by all. Though Mirabel wishes that she could be like her sisters, we later learn just how much pressure both of them feel from the community and their family because of their special “gifts”. And then on the opposite end of the spectrum, we have the BEST character in the entire movie, Mirabel’s long lost uncle Bruno who has been living in the walls of the casita for the past 10 years. Not only is he a super important aid to Mirabel in her quest, but he is also one of the most compassionate, kind-hearted, and unintentionally hilarious characters in any Disney movie. He, like Mirabel, has been alienated from the family his entire life because his gift of seeing the future stuck him as the bringer of bad news when his visions weren’t positive, and he went into hiding after having a vision that could potentially lead to Mirabel’s ostracization. If that’s not selflessness, then I don’t know what is.
And finally, that brings me to the member of the Madrigal family, Abuela. The interesting thing about Encanto compared to other Disney movies is that it doesn’t actually have a traditional Disney-style villain like Hans from Frozen or Ursula from The Little Mermaid. Instead, the conflict purely stems from the internal struggles of this one family, and the pressure that comes from having these gifts that the entire town relies on to function. While Abuela is the main source of these pressures and the ultimate cause of the movie’s conflict, which is the casita cracking as a response to the family’s unhappiness, she definitely isn’t a villain. Don’t get me wrong, her treatment of Mirabel throughout the movie definitely isn’t healthy and absolutely warrants her being called out on it by Mirabel in the heartbreaking climax, but we’re also meant to understand how she came to lose sight of why her family was given a miracle in the first place. Her backstory is revealed to us in a beautiful sequence of her falling in love with her husband Pedro and having three children, only to be forced to flee their home after their village is brutally attacked. In the act of fleeing, Pedro sacrifices himself for his family, and this act of love along with the pure anguish felt by Abuela after the fact is what causes the miracle to appear to the family in the first place. Set to the beautiful song “Dos Oruguitas”, it’s a heart wrenching scene that made me sob so much in the theater that my cousin who was sitting next to me repeatedly asked me if I was okay. (I’m pretty sure the 6 year olds in the theater were also judging me, but oh well).
I think that the reason why this movie is so profound and memorable is because of just how focused it is on building its message about family. Again, there isn’t a malicious villain who is planting seeds for this family to fail or who wants to steal their gifts; instead, we get a distinctly human portrayal of familial relationships and the organic way that time and pressure can slowly but surely make them fall apart. And yet, we’re also shown how, with compassion and acceptance, the familial bond shared by those who love each other can withstand just about anything.
So, is this movie worth watching? Yes. Absolutely. No questions asked.
This movie gets just about everything right, from the characters, the story, the songs, to the culture, the animation, and so much more. Just a fair warning, though: be prepared to feel the wrath of your annoyed family after you try to sing all the parts of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” while being wildly off beat yet also somehow sharp and flat at the same time… (Or maybe that’s just me).
