Review: "Encanto"

Walt Disney premiered his first-ever cartoon movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) on December 21st, 1937, at the Carthay Circle Theater in Hollywood, California. The film broke ground as the very first hour-and-a-half long cartoon produced on hand drawn animation with color and sound. In the 84 years since then the Walt Disney Animation Studios have released 60 feature-length cartoons. Number 60 is the new film Encanto (2021), which premiered this past Wednesday, November 24th. Here’s my “Encanto,” review:

Mirabel Madrigal lives with her family at the magical Casa de Madrigal (House of Madrigals) in Columbia. Mirabel loves her large family dearly, from her sisters Isabela and Luisa, to her parents Augustin and Julieta, to her good-hearted but slightly overbearing Abuela, and they love her too. However, Mirabel constantly deals with loneliness because everyone in her family possesses magical powers…except her. It is a mystery to everyone why she doesn’t have any powers, and Mirabel herself wants to discover what her gift truly is. When the magical house begins to fall apart and Mirabel’s family also begins to lose their magical powers, a future-predicting uncle named Bruno helps Mirabel learn what she can do to save her house and family…her gift.

This movie tells a wonderful story about what makes each of us unique. The film was co-written and co-directed by Byron Howard and Jared Bush, who also wrote and directed Disney’s Zootopia (2016), winning the Best Animated Feature Oscar. While “Zootopia,” told a different story, both films emphasized how deep human bonds, rather than judgment helps us all accept each others’ unique contributions.

Bush and Howard shared writing and directing credit with Charise Castro Smith who made her directorial debut with “Encanto.” The film features an Original Score by Germaine Franco as well as Original Songs by Tony-Award-Winner Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda is also credited as a story writer with Bush, Howard, and Smith. The film’s head producer is Clark Spencer who shared the “Zootopia,” Oscar win with Howard and Rich Moore, and it’s Executive Producer is current Head of Disney Animation, Jennifer Lee, who won the Best Animated Feature Oscar for Disney’s mega-hit phenomenon Frozen in 2013. Natalie Nourigat, who also worked as a story artist for “Encanto," wrote and directed an entertaining hand-drawn animated short film, Far From the Tree, that plays in front of the movie. 

The film’s voice cast includes Stephanie Beatriz as the voice of Mirabel Madrigal. Beatriz previously played Carla in this year’s film adaptation of In the Heights, a musical that originated on Broadway and was also written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Angie Cepeda and Wilmer Valderrama voiced Augustin and Julieta Madrigal respectively and while Cepeda makes her Disney debut, Valderrama is also known for voicing Gaxton in Disney/Pixar’s Onward (2020). John Leguizamo voices Uncle Bruno Madrigal and Alan Tudyk voices the family’s pet toucan, Pico. (Both Stephanie Beatriz and John Leguizamo lent their voices to the Ice Age (2002-2016) franchise as well. Leguizamo voiced Sid the Sloth in all five movies and Beatriz voiced Gertie the Dinosaur in Ice Age: Collision Course (2016), the fifth film in the series.)

Overall, “Encanto,” is a beautiful film in which audiences can identify with each of the characters in some way and there is really no villain. With a talented voice cast, visuals by the creators of “Zootopia,” and songs by musical-writing magician, Lin-Manuel Miranda, there’s really nothing not to like. In comparing “Encanto,” to Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon (2021), released earlier this year, I would say I liked “Encanto,” better because I’m a huge fan of musicals and I was thrilled to see Disney return to that format. Even if you don’t like musicals, you’ll still feel inspired by the film’s positive message on family and friendship.