Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz) resides in Colombia with her extraordinary family. Every member possesses unique magical abilities, except for Mirabel, who never received any. As the youngest family member prepares to discover if they will inherit a magical gift, Mirabel experiences a vision that could irrevocably alter the future of their enchanted home and its inhabitants. Her brother Bruno (John Leguizamo) mysteriously vanished years ago, and his disappearance now appears linked to her premonitions. Mirabel must uncover the truth behind these events and the actual circumstances surrounding Bruno’s disappearance (a subject avoided by all…).
Encanto represents the latest animated feature from Walt Disney Animation Studios, and the most recent addition to the Disney Classics collection since Ralph Breaks the Internet. It’s important to distinguish this studio from Pixar Animation Studios. While both operate under the Disney umbrella, their approaches and outputs differ significantly. Pixar arguably demonstrates a greater creative sharpness, raising questions about Disney’s strategy of prioritizing theatrical releases for its own films, such as Encanto, while sending Pixar’s films (e.g., Soul) directly to streaming platforms. This pattern continues with Pixar’s new film, Turning Red, bypassing theaters for a Disney+ debut on March 11, 2022.
Encanto boasts visually appealing animation with meticulous detail and a strong voice cast, including Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), who delivers a compelling lead performance. Beatriz infuses the character with warmth and a playful energy, a stark contrast to her role as Rosa Diaz. However, Encanto presents two primary challenges. Firstly, the narrative fails to fully engage, with the perceived threat to the family feeling underdeveloped and insubstantial. Secondly, the musical style of Lin-Manuel Miranda is becoming somewhat repetitive. The scores of Encanto, In the Heights, and the acclaimed Hamilton share a similar sonic palette. The abundance of songs in Encanto, arguably too many, detracts from the emotional connection with the family and Mirabel.
The Blu-ray edition features a comprehensive selection of extras, including behind-the-scenes documentaries detailing various aspects of the production, providing insight into the film’s development. Deleted scenes and bloopers are also included, along with a Sing-along feature. The image quality exhibits rich contrast and vibrant colors. The Blu-ray edition benefits from a high bitrate, ensuring stable visuals even during rapid panning shots. However, the audio mix is noticeably quiet, requiring a significant volume increase to achieve standard listening levels. While the sound quality proves satisfactory after adjustment, the bass response remains somewhat lacking. Encanto is also accessible on Disney+, where the image appears slightly softer, but the audio quality is improved. The bonus content found on the Blu-ray edition is also available on Disney+, making the physical edition primarily appealing to collectors seeking a complete Disney Classics library.
In conclusion, Encanto ultimately feels like a less impactful offering. It lacks the enduring quality of films such as Inside Out, Up, Wall-e, and other noteworthy animated features. The previously mentioned, more memorable films are predominantly products of Pixar, reflecting a consistent difference in quality compared to Walt Disney Animation Studios. Pixar generally excels at forging emotional connections with audiences, whereas WDAS, regrettably, rarely achieves the same level of engagement. Encanto earns a marginal recommendation, primarily due to its attractive animation, talented cast, and the comprehensive Blu-ray edition.
Disney provided review copies for this assessment. Material providers do not exert editorial control over our evaluations; we maintain independent reporting with a focus on our readers and consumers.
