Disney’s Encanto is a sweet and wholesome tale that delivers a visually gorgeous film that bursts with color. Check out the details in my parents guide movie review.
Disney’s Encanto is dropping in theaters next week on Wednesday, November 24th, just in time for Thanksgiving. The film is a magical tale about the Madrigal family. Each member of the family possesses a magical gift, and the movie includes a star-studded cast. Kids and adults alike are going to enjoy this new Disney original movie, but with a PG rating, is it safe for all ages? Check out the details in my parents guide movie review.
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Disney Encanto Quotes
Encanto Coloring Pages
Meet The Encanto Characters
Encanto Parents Guide
Encanto tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charmed place called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal—every child except one, Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz). But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family’s last hope.
Encanto Age Appropriate Parents Guide
Let’s take a look at what parents need to know before letting their kids watch Disney’s Encanto.
Language: Encanto receives a PG rating, but I am happy to report it is not due to the language in the film. The harshest words you will hear in this film are dumb, loser and phrases like “oh my g-d.”
Mature Content: The biggest concern for parents in Encanto is the danger and peril some of the characters are placed in. There are scenes where characters come close to falling from the edge of cliffs, and the house they live in begins to crack and collapse. There is also a scene where a hyper boy is said to have drunk coffee, which has him looking strung out. There is also the death of a parent, which may be a trigger for some children.
Overall Thoughts
The most striking aspect of Disney’s Encanto is its stunning visuals. Not only is the movie bursting with vibrant color, but the CGI animation is some of the best I’ve ever seen. At one point while watching the film, I had to do a double-take due to many of the images appearing unbelievably realistic. There was one particular scene where two characters were sitting near a body of water, and I could’ve sworn the shots of the water were real footage of a river. With the film being set in Colombia, there was a heavy influence of culture on the film, from the colors, the food, and even the architectural designs of the homes. The film’s creators definitely did their research while making this movie, and it shows.
Disney brought in musical genius Lin-Manuel Miranda to write eight original songs for Encanto. Truth be told, the songs in the film missed the mark for me. It is understandable that Miranda was given the difficult task to use music as a way to introduce the huge cast esemble and move the storyline along, but some of the magic in a Disney film is the catchy tunes which can stand alone as melodic masterpieces. Miranda has been successful in the past with attaching his style of music into Broadway shows and film’s, however, it missed the mark in Encanto and seemed out of play with the rest of the film.
The cast of Encanto is filled with a talented list of actors. Stephanie Beatriz voices Mirabel with an emotional pain that will sting viewers right in the feels, and John Leguizamo is masterful at voicing the quirky Bruno. Filmmakers were given quite the challenge of introducing the huge ensemble of characters, and while they did a fine job of introducing each family member to the audience, it did leave some holes and unanswered subplots in the story. One example is the rift between Mirabel and Isabela and the reasoning behind their tense relationship. Although these subplots were not central to the story, it was a bit jarring to viewers since there was no indication of these problems given beforehand.
As mentioned above, Disney’s Encanto is not a perfect film, and it contains a number of flaws. Despite this, audiences will still adore the new Disney film for all its charm and the heartfelt messages of self-acceptance and the importance of family it delivers. It is also great that Disney has been telling tales of various cultures in recent years in an effort to spread the message of diversity, but moreso to allow those communities to finally feel seen and accepted by a company whose media properties have touched a great many worldwide for generations.
