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Encanto (2021) – Review and/or viewer comments – Christian Spotlight on the Movies – ChristianAnswers.Net

Christian movie review of encanto

Video Christian movie review of encanto

Somewhere in the mountains of Colombia, a group of families are looking for a new home. After losing her husband to marauders, Alma Madrigal says a prayer for safety to a candle. unknown to her, the candle suddenly comes to life with a miracle. From that candle, a house appears, along with a prosperous town for the rest of the group.

Over the years, each member of the madrigal family receives a magical gift from the candle. that is, everyone except mirabel (voice of stephanie beatriz). why not her? That’s a mystery, and things continue to get more mysterious when Mirabel notices her family’s little house starting to crack and break. Furthermore, several members of the family are losing their gifts. It’s up to Mirabel to solve this mystery and help protect the family from her.

entertainment quality

“enchantment” is a film of great quality. the animation is lush and impressive. Filled with picturesque options and authentic backgrounds, Disney animation continues to push the boundaries when it comes to creative options. There’s also more detail on the costumes, as well as some fantastic choreography for the musical numbers.

Speaking of being a musical, Lin-Manuel Miranda has delivered yet another excellent soundtrack here. the most outstanding are the song “yo Quiero” by mirabel, “waiting for a miracle” and the excellent ensemble piece, “we don’t talk about bruno”. Big sister Luisa’s number “Surface Pressure” is also a catchy number. Two of the songs, “Dos Oruguitas” and “Colombia, Mi Encanto,” are in Spanish and add to the film’s authenticity. the only song that didn’t seem to click for me was “what else can i do?”, which doesn’t match the tone of the movie. still, it serves as strong character development for the middle child.

It’s also good to see the movie stick to Central American talent in the voice cast. beatriz and john leguizamo are the exceptions, but they are fantastic in their lead roles. Jessica Darrow pulls off Luisa’s toughness, while Carolina Gaitán pulls off her character’s mood swings, and Ravi Cabot-Conyers is lovable as Antonio.

Meanwhile, the story does a wonderful job of balancing its characters, giving each a distinct personality, while keeping the focus on mirabel. there are some plot twists that work really well, and the ending manages to be emotionally compelling.

On the downside, some of the dialogue goes by so fast that it can inhibit general comprehension (I had a similar problem with “in the heights”). this is also true of a couple of songs.

positive messages

“charm” emphasizes the importance of family love and the importance of honesty and transparency. mirabel graciously shows love to each and every member of the family, even when she is not included in various events. She gives Luisa a big hug after hearing her open up. She helps Antonio through a scary moment for both of them.

now. Of course, Mirabel has times when she could cross the line, but everything she does is purely out of love for her family.

Meanwhile, the rest of the madrigals certainly mean well, but they learn a thing or two about appreciating each and everyone’s gifts and talents. and they also learn that it’s not just someone’s gift that defines them, and that it’s important to use their gift wisely. and, like almost any family, there is some tension here and there.

There is a verse in proverbs about how the family unit should be respected and valued.

“He who afflicts his family will inherit nothing, and the foolish will be servant to the wise.” —proverbs 11:29

Another strong message in the film comes in the form of community and helping others. when madrigals are shown to be most vulnerable, their community steps up to help in a tremendous way. This reflects Galatians 6:2, which encourages us to bear one another’s burdens.

negative content

Spiritual: The film’s main note of caution involves the family’s magical abilities. one person can look into the future (using leaves and sand) and tell people their future, another controls the weather, and another can heal others’ wounds. the madrigal house seems to be alive and communicates with mirabel. however, all of the family’s powers come from a candle that appears to be miraculous or magical. the family seems to believe that they have been divinely blessed and should use their miraculous gifts to bless others.

The characters seem to be rooted in Roman Catholicism. they pray in front of the candle, a priest character appears sometimes, two characters get married in a church, and crosses appear in some scenes.

language: the worst we hear is “oh my god” and “jeez”.

Mature Content: The only thing to watch out for here is a brief comment about someone who is expected to be a mother of five (her face looks shocked), and there are some kisses between married couples.

drugs/alcohol: wine glasses are seen at dinner.

violence: there are some dangerous scenes. people are blown away by a wind storm. mirabel jumps over a gorge and almost falls during a sudden earthquake. she too is nearly trapped by the raging sand. there are some close calls and a semi-scary image of a three-headed cerberus during a musical number. a house collapses. in a flashback, it is suggested that someone was killed by sword-wielding marauders. someone is hit in the nose repeatedly. someone has their hand and nose swollen in response to bee stings. a black eye and a broken (but healed) arm are briefly seen.

elsewhere, mirabel disrespects her grandmother at one point. some family members argue in some places. a family member can transform into different people of opposite sexes.

conclusion

“charm” (which translates into English as “enchanted”, “spell”, “joy” or “delight”) is a different movie for the house of the mouse. Instead of a fairy tale or a story that is about female empowerment, this one is about the bonds of family (and an imperfect and magical one). it’s an infectious, entertaining, well-made, and moving film that hit all the right emotional notes for me. the music is fantastic, the animation is beautiful, the characters are funny, and there is a strong and moving story at the core. To me, this is definitely one of the best Disney movies of the last decade.

There are some intense moments here and there for the little ones, and the miraculous or magical abilities of madrigals can be a red flag for some families (particularly bruno’s attempt to contact the other side and his ability to see and predict the future ). The Bible is clear that attempts at divination are wrong and forbidden by God.

That said, the magical elements of the film seem fantasy-based and do not appear to be rooted in witchcraft, demonic influence, or the occult. rather, the message is that, despite the ups and downs, belonging to a caring and loving family is the real magic.

Ultimately, with strong positive messages about family love, honesty, and community, and relatively few concerns about content, “Charm” is a movie I enjoyed overall.

  • Fear: Moderate
  • Violence: Mild
  • Occult: Minor
  • Drugs/Alcohol: Minor
  • Profanity : minor
  • sex: minor
  • crude/crude language: none
  • nudity: none

see the list of relevant topics: questions and answers.

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