10 Things I Didn't Like About Encanto...

I watched Encanto with my brother last night for the first time and I have to say, I actually like a lot of it. But there were some things I didn't care for, and that's what I'm going to talk about today.

If this were a low budget indie film, pushed out in a short amount of time, and directed to a young audience, my standards would be much lower, and I'd probably say this was a pretty great film! But as is, Disney has millions of dollars, lots of time & resources, and access to the highest talents out there! I also didn't get the idea from any advertisements that it was geared towards just kids. 

Warning: Slight spoiler with #4 and larger spoilers for #6, 7, 8, 9, & 10.

Just to clarify: 1, 2, 3, & 5 are spoiler free! So here we go:

1. Everyone Has 1 Outfit for the Whole Movie

Their appearance (with the exception of a few flash backs, pajamas, or emotions changing) were the exact same in each scene. (Even Pepa's wedding dress is the exact same only white. Or how about Mirabel's glasses are the same as when she was a kid, though clearly her head would've grown since then) I thought, "maybe it's because it's set in sort of a fantasy world". However, it isn't really. It seems to be set in the real world with just one magical miracle city. Another "reason" might be...

 

2. Who is Everyone?

It's confusing! They even had a whole song at the beginning to clarify for you, cause they knew this would be hard. However, I could only catch about half of that song's lyrics. Fun song, but couldn't understand it! I don't know if it's the pitch of her voice, the volume of the accompaniment, or just that it was too much too fast, but I'm still lost. (I had to look up Pepa's name for that last one, which doesn't even sound familiar.) Continuing with my #1.'s comments, maybe they wore the same outfits so you'd remember them by association. They even had very different looks, special stand out powers, and their names on everything (ok, maybe just her skirt, the little candle tags she made, and their doors, but you get it), and I still only remember like three names (one being the main character, and another being Bruno who has his own song, literally repeating it over and over again). Granted, I'm not the best with names, but here's a challenge for you: write in the comments everyone's names and how they're related. No cheating and looking it up. (I think I can remember the relations part, but it took a while. I was especially confused with Isabela's future fiance. He was featured in the family song in the beginning, so I assumed he was a cousin or brother or something.)

3.  One Too Many Dream Sequences

I'm not a huge fan of musical dream sequences in general, even in live-action films, but especially if they're every ten minutes of the movie! I actually thought there was a little too much singing overall. Maybe this three-and-half minute "Surface Pressure" song was compelling to get the emotions across, but I think if the two sisters just had a 30-60 second heartfelt conversation, it could've been conveyed in less time. (And without as many weird random visuals)

Side note: I thought she had a great voice, but I really didn't care for this song for her. Too gruff and not pleasant to listen to. But when she sang higher and softer, it was so pretty!

Also, Most of the songs made me think I was watching a barbie movie, like "girls being girls showing girl power" yada yada. Did you get that?

4. Antonio's Gift Wasn't Very Useful

I'm not going to mention what it is, cause that's not important. Which is actually my reason for not liking this part. He literally could've had any gift, it didn't matter what it was. In my opinion, in a good story, as far as writing goes, if there's something significant in the plot and it should only solidify the rest or tie something together, or even be a red herring.

I think they (the writers) could've used Antonio's gift for something necessary in the plot later on and it would've been much more satisfying and well done. If you can take something out of the plot or change it to something else without altering the movie, then it's probably not well done. It's not thought out, it's taking up valuable space, and it's useless.

 

5. What is the Backstory Exactly?

This isn't a spoiler, it's in the first few minutes of the movie.

The grandmother character tells the history of how this magical city came to be, and proceeds to say that her, her husband, and their triplets were chased out of their town and forced to go across the river, leaving them with no home. But why were they being chased? And by whom? What her husband a criminal? Why'd he go back? Why didn't he just keep running? I don't know. As far as I could get, they didn't explain. And I can't find an explanation in the synopsis's online either.

(Part of me things they were being deported and it's a slight political jab)

 

6. What's Going on Here? & That Was Way Too Easy

Definitely a spoiler here:

This is sort of a two-in-one problem.

First: This whole "What Else Can I Do?" sequence was a little funny at first, but I have two questions.

1. What's going on? How, all of a sudden, does she discover she can make dessert plants? I don't get it.

And 2. Why does she thank Mirabel for the discovery? Sure she was there at the time, but it didn't seem like she did anything. And they were fighting just two seconds ago!!

 

Secondly: I didn't like how she go the prophecy and then was practically handed the solution on a silver platter. Sure, she approached Isabel, but she didn't have to humble herself or go to a great feat to win her over or Anything! It was SO easy and so quick!

Like, "Ok. *check* What's next? Oh, save the candle? Yeah, got it. *Check* that too. Now what? I don't know, that was the climax, I guess it's over." Which leads to my next one...

 

7. You Shouldn't Have a Climax with 20 Minutes Left in the Movie

I don't actaully know how much was left after the "climax", but it was too long, Like there should be a reconciling scene, then a tag scene and that's it.

Of course this is just a personal preference, let me know if you disagree. I love hearing other's perspectives!

It also came to quickly too soon. I needed more work and effort, more build-up, in order for this climax to really be satisfying.

 

8. It's all about "ME"!

It seems this might make people (especially kids) be even more "me" focused than this society is already. Which is a bad thing. Throughout the film, it seemed that Mirabel had struggles with being jealous or maybe a little selfish, but in the end she would always try to do what's right for others. However, when it came down to the "Moral of the Story", it seemed that she was explaining that she was doing it all for herself, to feel special like everyone else... and it worked out for her, because she got exactly what she wanted. Everything perfectly happy in the end and we Grandma is the only one who really learns a lesson. Her two sisters realize their identity and worth is more that just their powers, but what about Mirabel? It seems all she learns is how to be more self-focused and that will somehow help others in the end. Yeah, right. 

 

9. Cliches

There were lots of them.

Like, what we we supposed to think, "Mirabel wasn't going to actually be the hidden piece of the puzzle that shows up to save the day in the end? No, she was the bad guy. The curse that was causing all this to happen." Yeah right.

10. Would it Really Be So Bad if Everyone Lost Their Powers?

Seriously. They seem to be perfectly capable of living great lives without all the magic! They proved that by re-building the house by hand. It seems to me like the only magic the candle gave them was some fun little special touches, like pretty flowers, or strength for when the donkeys escape (like, "how in the world are we supposed to round up those donkeys without someone with super-strength to pick  them up??"). They needed a better motive for keeping the flame alive, like, it was keeping the air fresh and clean in the city and if it went out everyone wouldn't be able to breath. Or, it saved the life of "Grandma" (what's her name again?) and if it went out, the entire Madrigal family would slowly disappear, one by one.

A much better ending (to me) would've been if the magic candle was just there for a time, when they needed it. But after a while, they started to "abuse" the powers and think that they needed them in order to survive. In the end they could realize that it's hard work and love that sustain a society, not some special magic. The flame went out to help them, and prove they don't need it anymore. Now that would've been a great ending!