Disney+’s Disenchanted is a magical sequel that is long overdue but still has viewers under its spell after all these years. Check out the details in my parents guide movie review.
Disney+ Disenchanted drops on the streaming service today, November 18th. The sequel comes 15 years after the original film Enchanted first graced theaters and brings back much of the original cast, including: Amy Adams (Giselle), Patrick Dempsey (Robert Phillip), James Marsden (Prince Edward), and Idina Menzel (Nancy Tremaine), as well as some new members of the cast joining the franchise, particularly Maya Rudolph as Malvina Monroe. The question is: does this sequel stand up to the original after all this time? Check out the details in my parents guide movie review.
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Disenchanted Movie Quotes
Disenchanted Parents Guide
In Disenchanted: Years after her happily ever after, Giselle, Robert and Morgan move to a new community and Andalasia and the real world are thrown off-balance.
Disenchanted Age Appropriate Parents Guide
Let’s take a look at what parents need to know before letting their kids watch Disenchanted.
Language: Disenchanted contains mild language, with the strongest words used including: idiots, hell, sucked, and phrases like “Oh my g-d.“
Mature Content: The biggest lookout for parents is some of the “scary” content and characters shown in peril. The film has a theme centered around evil villains, so there are scenes that show characters with ill-intended motives, uses of magic for evil, scary characters, fire breathing dragons that set a character on fire, and situations that have characters in peril, much like the first film. Small children may be too frightened by some of the scary scenes.
Overall Thoughts
One thing is clear after watching Disney+’s Disenchanted; the original cast, which includes Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, and Idina Menzel, certainly have not lost their touch. While it has been 15 years since the original film was released, and the actors show visible signs of this time past, their understanding of the characters they play and the “magic” they bring to their characters is more evident than ever. Adams, in particular, embodies Giselle and has the sweet demure and songbird voice to bring the character alive, even after all these years. This time around, it is not all sunshine and rainbows in Giselle’s life, and she is battling a darker side of herself, which Adams masterfully balances in this good-versus-evil tug-of-war. Dempsey and Adams still have the onscreen chemistry that makes their romance believable and genuine, along with Marsden and Menzel, whose presence in the film was lacking, much to this author’s dismay. As Prince Edward, who hilariously refers to townspeople as “peasants” and wields his sword at will, Marsden is one of those fan favorite characters, but he was almost nonexistent in the film, with most scenes having viewers seeing him in his animated character. Menzel also did not have much screen time, as audiences may remember from the first film, but all was forgiven when she gave a beautiful performance that was musical magic to viewers’ ears.
The new additions to the Disenchanted franchise, including Maya Rudolph (Malvina Monroe) and Gabriella Baldacchino (Morgan Phillip), were phenomenal. Rudolph is always perfection in any role she takes, whether it be a comedy or, in this case, a villain, and she delivers with the fervor audiences have come to expect from her. Her evil sidekicks, played by Yvette-Nicole Brown and Jayma Mays, give it a Hocus Pocus “feel,” especially Mays, whose character is a little bit ditzy and will remind viewers of Sarah Jessica Parker’s Sarah Sanderson. Newcomer Baldacchino, who plays the teenage Morgan, will wow audiences with her take on teenage attitude, as she does a terrific job of mixing the “sassiness” often given by teenagers with the need for love and approval from her parents. She is going to be a face to look out for in future roles, as her talent is showcased well in the film.
The songs in Disenchanted are catchy, and while it is difficult to repeat hits like True Loves Kiss from the original, the sequel delivers some fun and catchy tunes audiences will enjoy. The musical numbers are big and plentiful throughout the film and are accompanied by some glorious visuals. Speaking of visuals, the set and costumes are beautiful, the animation hasn’t changed much, keeping true to the original film, and overall, this is an eye-catching treat. One of the biggest complaints from this author is that this film will not be seen on the big screen. The Disney+ streaming service has been a treat for many, and a platform to release more series and films that viewers would never have gotten a chance to experience before its release. Some films are just meant to be seen on the big screen, and this one serves to prove this true.
Some viewers may have an issue with Disenchanted being too “real” as far as bringing real-world problems into a fairytale life. However, it is exactly this charm that makes the film so attractive and the story so interesting. This sequel doesn’t just deliver another sequel that just replays the same story, but instead brings a fresh look to a beloved story, keeping true to the ingredients that made the original such a classic.
