It’s been 15 years since Amy Adams brought her fairytale charm to New York City through princess-to-be Giselle, and fans of the live action Disney film have been looking forward to its sequel Disenchanted for quite a while. The time is finally here, as the movie is currently available for streaming with a Disney+ subscription. The Disenchanted cast sees the return of our old favorites — Patrick Dempsey as Robert, Idina Menzel as Nancy and James Marsden’s Prince Edward (though the trailers don’t show nearly enough of him). There are also quite a few new names to the universe, including comedy greats Maya Rudolph, Yvette Nicole Brown and Oscar Nuñez.
Disenchanted will see Giselle and Robert moving their family out of Manhattan and into the suburbs. With Adam Shankman directing and Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz behind the music, we’ve been promised some major musical moments, including Idina Menzel finally getting to sing. The reviews are in to tell us what we need to know about this Disney+ sequel before deciding whether or not to settle in for a movie night with the fam. Let’s see what the critics have to say, starting with CinemaBlend’s review of Disenchanted. Our own Mike Reyes rates the movie 4.5 stars out of 5, saying it one-ups the original and is one of Disney’s best of the year:
Just as brilliantly as Enchanted toed the line between worlds, Disenchanted sends its universe into fully realized, and brilliantly colored life. Musical numbers are plentiful, allowing Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz to yet again weave their magic in the Disney catalog. The villainous twist to this film’s story isn’t merely used as the easy narrative path, as Amy Adams gets to have a lot of fun slowly turning into an evil stepmother.
Amelia Emberwing of IGN agrees that this is a “mostly successful” effort, rating the movie a “Good” 7 out of 10. She warns that people hoping for simply more of the original movie might be disappointed, as Disenchanted takes the story in a different direction. The critic says:
Disenchanted keeps its focus on bringing a different kind of magic than 2007’s Enchanted, which may result in some mixed reactions among fans hoping to see more of the same. However, the movie’s only real sin is some dull lyrics for rough songs. Amy Adams’ return as Giselle is a charming one, and families will have plenty of fun sitting down to watch this sequel together.
For Moira Macdonald of The Seattle Times, this movie was well worth the wait, Amy Adams is still a dream, and the sequel is filled with lavish musical numbers. The critic rates it 3 out of 4 stars, saying:
Like Enchanted, Disenchanted plays with the idea of stepping from the world of an animated fairy tale to the real world (albeit a rather prettified version of it) and back again; it’s a journey worth taking again, even after so many years.
Not all of the critics enjoy Giselle’s turn as a villain, however. Owen Gleiberman of Variety opines that Amy Adams’ goody-two-shoes character was the highlight of Enchanted, and her transformation into a wicked stepmother leads to a “scattershot” sequel. He says:
One has to ask: How much fun is there in that? The fish-out-of-water hook is gone, as is Giselle’s identity as an overly nice specimen of a vanquished world. Obvious in its comedy, at once overblown and undernourished in its fantasy, Disenchanted, at times, is like a kiddified Don’t Worry Darling crossed with Cinderella Strikes Back.
Lovia Gyarkye of THR is also underwhelmed with the follow-up to Enchanted, saying it lacks charisma and curiosity, despite the best efforts of its talented cast. According to the review:
The advantage of nostalgia aside, Enchanted’s success came from an alchemic combination of strong performances (especially from Adams), a chaotic location and a commitment to basic moral lessons (the magic of true love) even while slyly upending fairy-tale tropes. Disenchanted … aims for the deft mix of slapstick comedy and poignant messaging of the original, but struggles to find its footing, resulting in a film as vanilla as its setting.
Giselle's sweet naivety was unquestionably part of what made Enchanted such a classic 15 years ago, and it seems like the critics aren’t all in agreement about the arc her character takes in the long-awaited sequel. Others, however, give it their full endorsement. If you’d like to check Disenchanted out for yourself, the movie is available now for streaming on Disney+. If you’d like to start planning your next trip to the theater, be sure to check out our 2022 Movie Release Schedule, and see what’s coming to the big screen in 2023.
