Encanto: Review & Summary

By: Carolina Viegas

Review

The new Disney Movie, Encanto is one of the most popular movies out right now. It was released on November 14, 2021(Disney +) and received critical acclaim in December of 2021 and January of 2022. Encanto was directed by Byron Howard and Jared Bush. Lin Manuel Miranda wrote eight original songs including the hit, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” and Germaine Franco composed twenty seven scores that are on the album as well. The scores that these two composers created were combined to capture the emotions of the characters throughout the movie. This movie’s protagonist, Mirabel Madrigal, was voiced by Stephanie Beatriz. Other notable characters include Mirabel’s older sisters, Luisa(voiced by Jessica Darrow) and Isabela(voiced by Diana Guerrero). Another significant character is Bruno Madrigal (voiced by John Leguizamo).

Summary

The story of Encanto revolves around a miracle given to Alma Madrigal, also referred to as Abuela. Alma gets gifted this Miracle when her husband, Pedro, gets killed trying to save Alma and their triplets, Pepa, Julieta and Bruno, from attackers. After the death of her husband, Alma’s candle suddenly obtains magical properties, warding off the attackers and creating a house, “Casita”; a magical realm surrounded by mountains. Years later, the candle protects the town created by Alma. Furthermore, it is expected to grant every descendant of the Madrigals with magical powers. The Madrigals use their powers to serve the villagers and help their town. The gift was passed on to every Madrigal except for Mirabel, a fifteen year-old granddaughter of Alma. This makes Mirabel an outcast because she doesn’t have the abilities her cousins and sisters have that help the town. However, as the miracle starts to break, Mirabel has to go on a journey to save everyone’s powers. As Mirabel digs deeper into what’s causing this phenomenon, she has to face the struggle of being an outcast of the family. Mirabel also learns about the pressure of trying to be perfect and the pressure that also comes with having magical powers. Ultimately, her quest allows her to discover the truth about her family’s past. 

While the plot of the movie is not as dense as other Disney movies, I think this movie is amazing and deserves all of the attention it is receiving. Not only are the songs beautifully crafted but the story is amazing as well. This movie is able to capture the idea of living with imperfection. Throughout the story, the audience is able to connect with Mirabel because she is a realistic character that anchors this magical story to reality. In the end, it’s Mirabel that helps her family arrive at the realization that it’s fine to take breaks, and focus on family. Expectations can really hurt one’s mental state so it is important that you realize when expectations are becoming too much. Mirabel saw the weight her family members were carrying and helped them let loose and be themselves. In addition this movie is able to capture the beauty of Colombian culture. Many are quick to label Colombia based on the country’s complicated history of violence and danger. This label has deprived many from seeing the beauty that exists in Colombia. In conclusion, the movie Encanto is a work of art that is not only appealing to children but is also valuable to people of all ages. 

Sources:

https://www.cbr.com/encanto-miracle-rooted-tragedy/

https://www.polygon.com/22851932/encanto-disney-latine-colombia-in-movies