Encanto

Cert - PG, Run-time - 1 hour 39 minutes

Director - Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Charise Castro Smith

The only person in her family not to receive a magical gift, Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz) takes it upon herself to try and save the fading magic that brings their house to life.

Over the last few years Walt Disney Animation Studios have truly dived into the spirit of adventure. The last five years alone have seen the releases of Moana, Ralph Breaks The Internet, Frozen II and Raya And The Last Dragon. With Encanto the studio returns with something more stripped back. Slightly pitched as a travelling journey with plenty of action and thrills amongst the mysticism of the titular magic, the film’s exploration rarely leaves the boundaries of the living house in which central character Mirabel and her family live.

The family Madrigal are the most respected people in the vibrant Colombian town which their house lies at the top of - and which they practically helped build and run. Each has their own special gift - whether that be strength or the ability to talk to animals - apart from Mirabel.

Their home is the product of a magic candle which came to matriarch Abuela Alma (María Cecilia Botero, with Olga Merediz providing the singing voice) after her husband was tragically taken away from her. However, the magic begins to fade and while the Madrigals try to get on with their lives, in preparation for the flawlessly elegant Isabela’s (Diane Guerrero) engagement, Mirabel takes it upon herself to try and save it, venturing through the various forbidden walls and corners of the house.

The film appears to take a while to get to this moment. With the gradual pacing and providing of details and events you feel as if things are going to build-up to more. However, once in the second half it becomes apparent that Encanto is a much simpler film than perhaps initially expected. Wearing its themes of family and acceptance clearly throughout they take centre stage and guide the narrative. Once this clicks, there’s a smoother nature to the piece that brings you further in - particularly for the punch of an emotional flashback in the latter stages.

Encanto is a more traditional feature from Disney - more alike to their effort eleven years and ten films ago with Tangled - and perhaps that feeling adds to the simplicity and overall effect. The humour comes through well enough and the songs; while sometimes feeling somewhat out of place and uneven, with the help of Lin-Manuel Miranda, provide a

certain music-video like energy to push things along and add even more colour to the scenery of the town.

By the ending, while the final scenes may feel like they’ve been divided up into distinct segments,

Encanto and its themes are undeniably rounded off having kept you in place for an overall enjoyable time from Disney. The kind of pleasant trip we haven’t seen from them for a while.

***** <-- Four Stars Jamie Skinner