Disenchanted

From my blog Manny At the Movies

Giselle is back as Amy Adams returns to the role of the fairy tale world maiden turned Manhattan girl that made her a Hollywood starlet in 2007 in Enchanted. Fast forward to 2022, Disney Plus presents the musical fantasy comedy sequel Disenchanted which reunites Adams with Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden and Idina Menzel. Disney had spent over a decade trying to find what they believed was the perfect story to explore what happens after happily ever after. But after a few (mostly non COVID) delays and time in development limbo, Giselle’s next chapter in the real world away from her animated realm of Andalasia has come at long last with a change of setting.

Ten years after the events of Enchanted, Giselle (Adams), Robert (Dempsey) and Morgan Phillip (Gabriella Baldacchino) move from New York City to fictional suburban town of Monroeville with their baby girl Sophia. Morgan who is now 16 years old and cynical is not thrilled of the change at all. Giselle being her sunny self tries to get her to be happy. Edward (Marsden) and Nancy (Menzel) now the King and Queen of Andalasia pay a surprise visit with a wishing well as a new portal. They present Sophia with a wishing wand as a belated birthday present. After a few failed attempts to cheer up her own stepdaughter, Giselle uses the wand to wish Monroeville was a fairy tale kingdom to have a bit of the life she left behind for true love in Robert. But then the spell turns Giselle into a wicked stepmother, Giselles old chipmunk buddy Pip to reappear, makeovers Robert from a lawyer to a dragon slayer and changes the town’s founder and leader Malvina Monroe (Maya Rudolph) into a tyrannical Queen. Giselle must reverse the spell by midnight before her former homeland disappears and joins Monroeville and her newfound mistreatment towards Morgan becomes permanent.

Directed by Adam Shankman (A Walk to Remember, The Pacifier, Hairspray and Bedtime Stories), the new faces also include Jayma Mays (The Smurfs, Glee) & Yvette Nichole Brown (Community, Drake & Josh) as Malvina’s minions Ruby & Rosaleen and Oscar Nunez (The Office) as Edgar the friendly coffee shop worker. With special appearances by Broadway vets Ann Harada (Avenue Q, Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella) & James Monroe Iglehart (Hamilton, Aladdin, Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure). OG movie songwriters Alan Menken (music & orchestral score) and Stephen Schwartz (lyrics) are back onboard too to provide the soundtrack with 7 new tunes.

Before we begin the pros and cons, I like to see a few things straight. The OG Enchanted was a surprise to me of a modern Disney fairy tale when I saw it age 15 in 2008. I admit the fact that it was a self parody of Mouse House classics didn’t majorly appeal to me. I felt conflicted about wanting a sequel with all the creative possibilities Giselle’s happy ending in the modern world would offer and some fish out of water antics to boot. The long wait drained the enthusiasm out of me a bit as the public’s interest in Disney brands have changed. When it came back to development, I had the impression the story was going for a It’s A Wonderful Life scenario. But was it all the waiting all this time? At least it did me some favors which I’ll get to later.

Adams shines once again as Giselle as her optimism and spunk clashing with her stepmother transformation adds extra gravities to her already winning character. She still sings beautifully and hasn’t lost much of her comedic touch. Dempsey as Robert is given more to do with the changed man he’s become thanks to his wife, he also sings and dances when the fairy tale world comes to fruition. Marsden as Edward is still the hilarious foil in spite of his ascend to king following the defeat of his evil stepmother Queen Narissa. Menken and Schwartz’s new songs are dazzling to go with their work from the previous movie but also bringing out the heavy artillery. Morgan goes from the 6 year old princess loving little girl we met last time to a cynical teen who only sees Giselle as only her stepmother. But her role in the story is worth a promotion to supporting protagonist as partially her coming of age moment. Rudolph is a devilish villain successor to Narissa as Malvina with a slight circumstance to her villainy. Her chemistry with Mays and Brown are sure to give Hocus Pocus’s the Sanderson Sisters a run for the fan girls eager to be witches. In the tradition of OG Enchanted, there are some witty Easter Eggs galore for all Disney fans. Menzel reprising Nancy is one of the big highlights in store. She’s matured from the fashion designer that Robert was going to propose to and as a Queen uses some unfinished business from 2007. I’ve waited a long time to hear her sing in this role and she delivers with one particular number with the vocal pyrotechnics that for over 25 years made her already a stage and screen legend from Rent to Frozen. The first time we met Giselle, we are given a fable about how storybook endings don’t come in the package you expect. But this new emotionally resonating and fun story tells us how to rediscover and hold on to your happily ever after even when you’re growing up or having a change of scenery. The execution is less predictable which is a plus. And not to mention, the mind bending mix of live action and animation provides eye candy as it did before. If it’s any reassuring for some parents watching with the kids, the scare factor is toned down a bit.

Sadly however the stepmother act for Giselle can be over the top like Dr Jekyl and Mr Hyde. The instrumentation of the musical sequences occasionally overpower the singing. Musical movies need to work a bit more on sound mixing so the orchestra and singing are one. A minor missed opportunity to enhance the self parody elements I would like to point out is more cameos by the voices of past Disney heroines like last time around.

Overall: I have to give Disenchanted 4/5 stars. It’s as enchanting (no pun intended), funny, magical, joyous and astonishingly imaginative as the original. It’s a sequel that maintains it’s musical spectacle, satiric whimsy and clever eccentricity. Adams is a revelation again with her supporting cast as blissful props. We can use a bit of Giselle in these challenging times. It’ll leave Disney fans young and old smiling all holiday season long.

I zoned off about 20 minutes into it and just ended up watching TOOTSIE on Hulu in one sitting. Disney+ — you don’t need to make a sequel to everything.

I didn't care for this, either. I wanted cameos and Easter eggs similar to the original. Patrick Dempsey was not funny as the knight errant, but I think that was more due to the writing. I also had higher hopes for the baby to add more comedy (similar to Jack-Jack in The Incredibles).

I also wish that they'd specifically modeled Maya Rudolf's character after the Queen of Hearts, and styled her costumes and make-up similarly to how they styled Susan Sarandon as Sleeping Beauty's Maleficent. I would have enjoyed a few cleverly set-up "off with her head"s sprinkled in... The Irish village of Enniskerry has the hedges and greenery similar to Wonderland, and there was a brief reference to croquet, also. I think Rosaleen and Ruby could have added more humor styled as Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum, too.

Alan Tudyk was a standout as the Scroll, but the character reminded me more of Dr. Know from "A.I." rather than any Disney character. Also. the flowers on Amy Adams' dress (and Morgan's recycled version for her first day of school) looked more like Audrey Two than anything Disney (i.e., the "hidden Mickeys" from the first film).

I was really looking forward to this sequel. Unfortunately, I ended up, "disenchanted" (cheap pun, but a cheaper movie).

I thought it was creepy how they basically stole the plot of the original Stepford Wives and Disneyfied it.

I cannot believe they made Idina menzel, in the 11 o’clock number, sing the lyrics “Let it grow, Let it glow”. A little too on the nose.

And I’m fully aware that the “they” I’m referring to is Stephen Schwartz. This was in the one earnest song in the movie (the same spot that “So Close” had in the first movie). It wasn’t a joking/parody song, they had her earnestly deliver lines so similar to Let it Go. For me, if they were trying to make an homage to frozen it fell flat and just seemed desperate. If it was meant to be funny it was not delivered in a funny way (unlike the let it go reference at the end of Encanto which worked for a quick joke).

Also, unless they changed the rules, this won’t be eligible for Oscars if it’s never shown in theaters right? Only for Emmys (like the Disney+ chip n dale movie)? I don’t know I could be wrong on that.

Very interesting that this is STILL being reviewed poorly, when test screenings went poorly to the point of reshoots being picked up earlier this year. Yikes.

I caught the first film on TV last night while prepping my collards. Was hoping for better word of mouth, but at least I know what I’ll be getting into when I watch!