DVD for Disney's ENCHANTED(2008).
© Walt Disney Home Entertainment

Mania Grade: B+
Title: Enchanted
Rating: PG
Starring: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Timothy Spall, Rachel Covey, Susan Sarandon, Idina Menzel
Written By: Bill Kelly
Directed By: Kevin Lima
Distributor: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
Original Year of Release: 2008
Extras: Deleted Scenes, Bloopers, Fantasy Comes to Life-Discover Enchanted's cinematic wizardry in these behind the scenes featurettes, Pip's Predicament Pop-Up Adventure

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ENCHANTED

Many of us, as we grow older; have become cynical with Disney movies. Princesses, magic and a villain wrapped in a few clever songs are tough to digest. Disney attacks our cynicism with Enchanted by parodying all the great Disney films that have come before.

Opening in the animated world of Andalasia, Giselle (Amy Adams) is waiting for her true love, a prince. Though she has never met him she is already preparing for his inevitable arrival with the help of her chipmunk friend, Pip (Jeff Bennett). Speeding the animated story right along Prince Edward (James Marsden) is within hearing range of Giselle and her singing animal friends. They meet and break right into a disgustingly gleeful tune about accompanying each other in that very duet. They are off to be married the next day where we learn that Prince Edward’s stepmother, Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon), will lose her kingdom if Prince Edward is married.

On the day of the wedding Queen Narissa transforms herself into an old hag, and then pushes Giselle in to a magical well.  Narissa tells Nathaniel (Timothy Spall), her adoring lackey, where Giselle is going. “To a place where there are no happily ever afters.” Giselle ends up in the real world (not animated) of New York City.

For the first time in her life Giselle sees ugliness in all its forms. She is a truly fish out of water and luckily finds a cynical prince charming in Robert Philip (Patrick Dempsey). Robert is a single parent and logical romantic. He does not believe in love at first sight or in happily ever afters. Of course, he cannot believe that Giselle and her story are true but because of his daughter, Morgan (Rachel Covey), he decides to help Giselle. From this point on Giselle and Robert learn about each other, life, happiness, reality and find the time to squeeze in a few musical numbers.

In the story of Enchanted Giselle learns that life isn’t a storybook ending. She sees that after “happily ever after” there is still the day in and day out routine to live. Giselle comes to grips with not only her place in the real world but what kind of love she wants to have. Sure, Prince Edward is nice but after one date she is already looking for what is on the horizon. In most ways this is a story about a woman realizing her self worth and what she wants out of life. This may sound typical in your usual Hollywood movie but when it comes from Disney it really should be recognized. Here is a studio that has given us the damsel in distress for years who always waited for, wanted or needed a Prince Charming. By the end of Enchanted Giselle rushes head first into danger to save the man she loves. A female Disney character only comes along like this once every so often. The characters Belle (Beauty and the Beast) are Mulan (Mulan) also prime best examples. Finally there is real role model for the little girls who clamor for their princesses.

Robert is clearly the audience in Enchanted. Cynical and bored with the Disney’s typical stories, like Robert, we have grown to an age where we know life isn’t guaranteeing a happy ending. Already a widower, Robert is a dating single parent who skips on the romance for a more logical approach. At first Giselle gets him into trouble with his girlfriend Nancy (Idina Menzel). However, the romantic side of Robert opens up to win Nancy back but in the process allows him to fall for Giselle. Robert then realizes that deep down he needs to believe in happy endings. Giselle encompasses that for him in the way she sees the world and how she interacts with his daughter.

Enchanted may have deeper meanings but the film is also hysterically funny. Nothing is sacred when it comes to Disney and their classics. They spoof the likes of Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Mary Poppins (Julie Andrews) herself narrated the film. This as a film where Disney fans and haters could sit together and watch in harmony. You don’t have to be a connoisseur or a hater to appreciate the humor in Enchanted. The humor delivers on an even playing field where all can enjoy.

Science Fiction genre fans will enjoy James Marsden’s (X-Men), portrayal of Prince Edward. He is never quite as nasty as Gaston in Beauty and the Beast but just as vain. Edward wanders New York heroically looking for Giselle only to learn that she is not going to settle for happily ever after. His buffoonery is never over the top but teeters on the edge making his performance phenomenal. 

Susan Sarandon may have the juiciest part of them all. Not only does she get to portray two different animated characters of herself but then plays Queen Narissa in the real world and as a dragon to boot. Though her screen time is limited she steals every scene.

Enchanted may not be for you. You may think that Disney is an evil empire; turning out only huge multi-media marketable movies that are nothing more than long commercials for their next video game, theme park, action figure and cartoon show. However, Enchanted gives us all the opportunity to laugh at Disney and, for a moment, forget our cynicisms.

Special Features:

Disney never skimps on the special features and Enchanted has nice collection for a single disc release. “Fantasy Comes to Life” is a great look at the work numerous departments invested in bringing many of the larger scenes to life. It gives you a greater appreciation of the work behind the film as you discover which rats and pigeons were real in the Happy Working Song. However, the sheer magnitude of A Blast at the Ball was enough to impress any filmmaker or would be filmmaker for the coordination of actors, dancers, explosions and a CGI dragon. 

Now for those of us without a Blu-Ray player Disney included a clever market gimmick by showing us how we could have watched Enchanted. All the Disney moments that they spoofed can be seen with Blu-Ray’s picture in picture feature. It was quick but totally tantalizing for someone who has yet to buy a Blu-Ray player.