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STORY STUDY - MEDIUM: FILM - “Enchanted”

Jeffrey Tung
May 7, 2018
2 min read

At some point in our life, all Disney fans wanted to live in the world of whatever favorite Disney movie. We get a fraction of that experience in the theme parks. But sometimes we forget the baggage that they carry with them.

Directed by Kevin Lima, and written by Bill Kelly, Enchanted is the story of Giselle who, minutes after being betrothed to Prince Edward, is pushed into a portal by her soon-to-be stepmother Queen Narissa (in disguise) so she can claim the throne of Andalasia.

Giselle ends up in present day Times Square in Manhattan, New York. She comes across widowed father and daughter Robert and Morgan, who takes care of her and helps her adjust to the culture of this new world.

Prince Edward jumps into the same portal to rescue Giselle. He is accompanied by Nathaniel, a servant of Narissa, whom, under orders of Narissa, finds ways to hinder Edward’s quest to find Giselle.

The film starts off with beautiful, 2-D animation, a send-up to Disney’s own classic animated films. Based on the premise and storyline, it’s obvious that it’s meant to be a satire of their own genre while also being a modern fairy tale, adjusting its tropes to fit the modern audience.

Much like the contemporary Disney animated films, Enchanted surprises its audience by maturely dealing with a serious topic. In this case, it’s the prospect of “love at first sight” and how it’s unrealistic. Saying it is one thing, so how is it presented? Well, after spending a few days in New York, Giselle learns that love takes time; maybe Prince Edward is not meant for her.

The film also adds a nice touch with the clever casting of its supporting cast and cameos: Jodi Benson (Ariel in The Little Mermaid), Paige O’Hara (Belle in Beauty and the Beast), Judy Kuhn (singing voice of Pocahontas), and the voice of Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins).

The songs featured in the film are all serve their purpose, with a majority of them being parodies or homage to classic Disney songs. The best one is the contemporary song “So Close” sung by Jon McLaughlin. This was the song that hit me the most when it started playing.

The third act, or at least the climax, is probably the weakest. I won’t say the CGI is bad, it really isn’t. The problem is the aesthetic clashes with the real-world setting when you see it in action, which makes the experience off-putting.

I got introduced to the film after seeing the trailer back in high school. I don’t know what made me want to watch it, since this kind of genre doesn’t highly interest me. But I did, and what stuck to me was the amount of maturity that the film exhibited when it came to the dramatic parts.