Enchanted
Every so often I am forced to eat my words. After seeing trailers for Enchanted I thought it looked dreadful. I have a cordial dislike for obvious post-modernism in films and prefer my fairy tales served straight, without any nods and winks. However, after viewing it, I am forced, through gritted teeth, to admit that this is a genuinely charming family film and a triumphant return to form for Disney after years of downright mediocre output (Pixar animations notwithstanding).
Of course, sending up fairytales is nothing new. Most notably the Shrek films have gleefully and sometimes annoyingly spoofed the likes of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and others. But here it’s almost as though director Kevin Lima and screenwriter Bill Kelly are saying Disney can spoof their own products far more effectively – especially in a scene near the start involving a troll that looks suspiciously like Shrek.
Speaking of the opening, the film launches into a Snow White type story in an animated world with Princess Giselle (Amy Adams) awaiting her true love. Prince Edward (James Marsden) is searching for her, but a wicked queen, Narcissa (Susan Sarandon), is trying to keep them apart. This sequence is a deliberately syrupy, exaggerated version of classic Disney animated fare, but once Narcissa tricks Giselle and sends her to another world that turns out to be a live-action present day New York, the story takes an altogether different turn.
Giselle is soon helped by cynical, broken-hearted divorce lawyer Robert Phillip (Patrick Dempsey) and his six year old daughter Morgan (Rachel Covey – just the right side of too cute). Much hilarity ensues, as Giselle calls birds, rodents etc to clean up his apartment a la Snow White. In the meantime, Prince Edward has also entered New York, determined to track down Giselle, with a talking chipmunk who finds he cannot talk in our world, and Edward’s sidekick Nathaniel (Timothy Spall), who is secretly in league with Narcissa.
From there, things develop predictably but amusingly. There are several extremely funny one-liners, especially from the excellent James Marsden, whose hysterical performance is the best thing in the film. The rest of the cast are all good, although Susan Sarandon is underused.
Morally, Enchanted seems to have a two-fold message. First, romance is important. Robert’s relationship with his girlfriend Nancy (Idina Menzel) is in difficulty because he isn’t doing anything romantic to keep it alive. Furthermore, because he has previously been unlucky in love, Robert inflicts his bitterness on Morgan by buying her books about great women in history like Margaret Thatcher instead of the fairy stories she wants (of which he disapproves). Over the course of the film, he learns from Giselle that dreams can come true and it is possible to have a “happily ever after”.
Secondly, this is about having realistic expectations from a relationship. Giselle learns from Robert that it might actually be a good idea to get to know Edward before committing to marry him. She also learns that it’s no good to continually have one’s head in the clouds, and that real life can be hard. These dual themes are best summed up in a scene where two peripheral characters who had been going to divorce decide not to after encountering Giselle. There is no point missing out on the good times just because there are some tough times.
On a technical level, the special effects are good, including the CG animals. Alan Menken’s music and songs are good too, recalling his heyday in the early 1990’s animated Disney movies. Interestingly, upon arrival in New York, the film cleverly and seamlessly switches from standard screen size (1:85:1 aspect ratio) to widescreen (2:35:1 aspect ratio).
Only at the finale does the film come somewhat unstuck as a couple of key characters – including Edward – are sidelined. It could also be argued that the inevitably sugary happy ending was perhaps a bit too saccharine, but hey – it’s Disney, and we’re all entitled to a bit of sappiness, especially at Christmas.
No masterpiece then, but far more satisfying than The Golden Compass. Do your children a favour and take them to see this instead – not so much because The Golden Compass is spiritually abhorrent but because Enchanted is a much better film.
Simon Dillon, December 2007.
