Encanto Movie Review: Colombian Folklore To The Forefront, With Visual Exuberance!

Imagine being born 'ordinary' in a family of gifted individuals. Disney's 60th animation movie Encanto, a musical, follows the story Mirabel Madrigal (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz), a girl with no apparent gift. She tries her best to fit in a family of extraordinary people, but Abuela Alma (María Cecilia Botero) doesn't think Mirabel is worth considering while the latter's own gifted sisters look down upon her.

While the rest of the family are busy counting on their miracle gifts, Mirabel notices the family's casita (cottage or home) is starting to show cracks. She takes it upon herself to save the miracle obsessed family from ruin.

The matriarchal Abuela goes through an emotional journey as Mirabel searches for a way to save her home and bring back her family to the path where they begin to respect and love every member including those not gifted like themselves.

The Message of Encanto

The movie does not show a good versus evil confrontation. It's more of course correction. When people get so full of themselves that they begin to put down others less fortunate, then they begin to lose the very magic that they consider valuable to their very existence.

Encanto, set in the lush green of the Colombian mountains, is an imaginative dose of magic realism underlined in sweetness. The visuals are stunningly vibrant, the character animation is distinctive, imbued as it is in regional colour, food and habit.

The South American folklore literally comes alive on screen with the fantastic original music by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Germaine Franco and other regional essences crafted quite intriguingly into a flavourful narrative.

Verdict

Encanto is certainly worth a watch for the lessons learnt and the visual exuberance it displays!

Rating

We will go with 3 / 5 stars for Encanto.