Ten years after her happily ever after, Giselle questions her happiness, inadvertently turning the lives of those in the real world and Andalasia upside down in the process.
Chuck says:
Sometimes, the sheer force of a single performer can make the difference between a successful movie and a forgettable one. Such is the case with Amy Adams and “Disenchanted,” a thoroughly unnecessary sequel to “Enchanted,” the 2007 Disney spoof of their own fairy tale concoctions. Much of the success of that film was due to the actor’s work as the displaced maiden Giselle, an accidental exile from the magical land Andalasia who finds herself in New York City. With a little magic, opportune timing, and clever screenwriter, she was able to find her happy-ever-after life in the Big Apple.
However, years have passed, and disillusionment has set in. While Giselle is somewhat content with her attorney husband Robert (Patrick Dempsey), her stepdaughter Morgan (Gabriella Baldacchino) and newborn Sofia (Mila Jackson), a sense of real-world malaise has put a damper on things. Even moving to the suburban village of Monroeville, after being enticed by a billboard that promises “a fairy tale life,” doesn’t do the trick. So, when Prince Edward (James Marsden) and Princess Nancy (Idina Menzel) pay a visit from Andalasia to drop off a magic wishing wand as a gift for Sofia, Giselle does what any desperate maiden would do. She wishes for Monroeville to truly be a fairy tale land. Turns out, the wand is legit and the town transforms into a knock-off of the village from “Beauty and the Beast.” Complications ensue.
Clever, up to a point, the film is buoyed by Adams’ charm, her portrayal of Giselle’s well-intentioned naiveite generating big laughs, as do her struggles when her evil nature tries to emerge. Marsden is also a delight as the overenthusiastic prince, while Maya Rudolph is perfect as the duplicitous Malvina. To be sure, the film is too long and sags horribly during its predictable third act. Still, as far as light-hearted time-fillers are concerned, you could do much worse, while Alan Tudyk’s voice work as a magical talking scroll is a true delight.
2 1/2 Stars
Pam says:
“Enchanted” was an absolute delight and with high expectations given the star power of the film. The sequel — as most sequels prove — disappointed on several levels. That’s not to say it’s not worth seeing, but don’t set your expectations too high. The premise is clever as we see Giselle needs more in her life that reminds her of her origins, she uproots hubby Robert (Patrick Dempsey), a successful attorney in NYC and teenage step-daughter Morgan (Gabriella Baldacchino). Seemingly a selfish move, so unlike the gracious maiden, Monroeville isn’t what she thought it would be. Filled with mean girl groups who bully Morgan as well as the innocent Giselle, Robert and Giselle’s newborn receives a gift from Prince Edward (James Marsden) and Princess Nancy (Idina Menzel) that is used to create a true fairytale land for the family. However, the fairytale becomes a nightmare that results in Giselle becoming the Evil Step Mother. Now, this is where things start to get interesting! Adams relishes her split personality and the story becomes an engaging one.
Filled with just the right amount of song and dance which is a delight to hear and watch, the story comes to its expected conclusion. If only it had found its direction in the beginning, perhaps cutting much of the intro and finding the heart of the story earlier, it would have been a sequel that I could recommend. Unfortunately, it’s exactly what sequels usually are; subpar.
2 Stars
