I watched Encanto a couple of years ago. There was a lot of hype and as a fellow Disney stan, of course I was going to watch it. The experience, however, left me feeling, for lack of a better word, confused. Waiting a year or so, surely it would’ve made more sense the second time when I rewatched it, right? Wrong.
Strong start
Before the title sequence, we are told about Abuela (Mirabel’s grandma) and how in fleeing from her home and losing Abuelo Pedro (Mirabel’s grandfather) to invaders, an ordinary candle became magical and created a refuge for all those displaced. The Encanto. The miracle, as it is referred, includes a magical house called casita and tall surrounding mountains. The magic candle also provides powerful gifts. Abuela’s children and her children’s children have all gone on to receive gifts. Well… about that…
Our protagonist is Mirabel and we discover that at her ceremony, she didn’t get a gift. We’ve only just started and at this point, I’m hooked. Why didn’t she get a gift? What does this mean??
A few years later, we can see how Mirabel’s lack of ’giftness’ changes how she is treated. As much as she tries to be part of family life, Mirabel is pushed away, especially by her Abuela. But why? People who are married into the family don’t have gifts, plus there’s a whole village down the road full of people with no gifts either!
On this particular day in the film, it’s Antonio’s gift ceremony. He’s worried he won’t get a gift and will end up like Mirabel, but nooo. Instead, the miracle provides and Antonio receives the super amazing gift of being able to talk to animals. Poor Mirabel. What is the deal??
Plot is thinning
After Mirabel is blatantly left out of a family photo (like??!!), cracks appear in the casita. And, of course they disappear when she calls everyone for help.
Something is clearly wrong with the magic. The next day, she asks Luisa (her older sister with super-strength) if she noticed anything at the ceremony. Luisa says she felt weak. Then there’s something to do with a vision and Bruno’s (her uncle’s) tower.
In the abandoned tower, Mirabel finds Bruno’s vision and after We Don’t Talk About Bruno, she finds out that she is the reason the magic is wobbling… but we sort of already knew that, didn’t we? Dolores (her cousin) then blabs to everyone about Bruno’s vision and a proposal dinner is ruined and then Mirabel is blamed for trying to ruin the family yet again. So … now what?
Plot is liquid consistency
Mirabel follows some rats and finds her estranged uncle Bruno living in the walls of the casita. Now, we really need to talk about Bruno. He has been living in isolation for years inside the kitchen walls. He even has his own plate drawn on the table oh my god. This family sucks.
Mirabel is still determined to save the miracle – still not quite sure what this means – and she asks Bruno to look at the vision again. When they do, the vision reveals the solution is … to hug her sister Isabela. Really? Is this just Frozen all over again? So, wait, the solution to the cracks in the casita, the weakness in the magic, is for Mirabel to apologise and hug Isabela? What?
Plot has evaporated
Where are we now?? Oh yeah. Isabela and Mirabel patch things up but the miracle isn’t saved. Abuela and Mirabel have another argument and the casita collapses and the candle peaces out. The mountains encasing them split open and Mirabel ups and leaves. Godspeed, Mirabel. Go and find people who actually love and care for you. Here, I’ll help you pack.
Her Abuela follows her. She talks about the tragedy of losing Abuelo Pedro all those years ago and how she was so worried about the miracle leaving. I mean fair enough, it’s very dark and intense what Abuela and Abuelo endured … but then Mirabel just hugs her and all is forgiven? After all that?? So wait, was the solution that she was meant to hug her Abuela?
Then they build the casita again and everyone gets their powers back and wait, was the candle the grandad? But how can they have their powers if the candle is burnt out?? Speaking of forgiveness, Bruno just forgives Abuela after years of neglect and isolation. Again, how??
I’m lost
Encanto is, visually, a beautiful film. It’s colourful and the animation is seamless, plus there’s a jaguar (winning!). Its messages are also solid… sort of. It’s true, you don’t need to be perfect. Encanto tells us that you’re more than your gifts. That you’re special just as you are, even though Mirabel was treated as an outcast for a majority of her life.
Plot-wise, the story is long winded and littered with plot-holes. Did the magic specifically not give Mirabel a gift so that she would cause conflict? Then why give Antonio a gift? *Sigh* Mirabel deserved so much better. What caused the magic to wane? The fact Mirabel was being excluded? I can’t help but feel like she’s trapped in the Encanto and would fare much better out of it. There was a wonderful opportunity for the story to have shown why Mirabel wasn’t given a gift and perhaps taken us on a different journey. Instead, the main storyline is muddled in the lives of other characters.
So, what do you all think? Do you feel the same or differently? Can you answer any of my plot questions?? Let me know your thoughts on Encanto!
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rebekah writes stuff. 