Review: Enchanted

December 2, 2007

 

   As my regular readers know, I love fantasy movies, however, they are usually the epic type, like Harry Potter or The Lord of the Rings. Disney's Enchanted is no epic, not exactly a work of art destined for an Oscar, but all the same, it is sweet, charming, and entertaining—one of the most delightful feel-good movies I have seen in a long time. It's not  profound, although the characters do learn a bit about themselves in the end, and there are some pleasant surprises, too, with the obligatory happily-ever-after ending for any proper fairy tale. It is a movie the whole family can enjoy, from little ones to great-grandma. And in these times of constantly being pummeled with violence and catastrophe, both on-screen and in real life, this is a film you will leave with a smile on your face and a skip in your step—a guaranteed heart-warmer.

   The movie begins in animation, as the wicked Queen Narissa schemes to keep Prince Edward from finding his one true love, Princess Giselle. But, alas, they do meet, and the next day, just before their wedding, the queen, transformed into an old hag, pushes Giselle into an enchanted well, where she falls and falls and falls until she ends up in a sewer drain in Manhattan. No longer animated, Giselle (Amy Adams) begins her new adventures in the Real World.

   Dressed in a huge fairy tale wedding dress, Giselle wanders the streets in the pouring rain, being treated rudely until she is rescued by Attorney Robert Philip (Patrick Dempsey), who at least is civil to her but of course, thinks she is a nut case. It is his little daughter Morgan (Rachel Covey) who first falls in love with Giselle, and believes that she is a real princess.

   Eventually, Prince Edward (James Marsden) does come to rescue Giselle by jumping into the well, followed by Pip, the chipmunk. Now the queen, (Susan Sarandon), is really worried, so she sends her cohort, Nathaniel (Timothy Spall), to ensure that the princess is dealt with properly (poison apples is her preferred mode). Convinced that Nathaniel is screwing up, the queen herself comes to New York to finish the job.

  What is so charming about this movie is the mix of fairy tale and real life. The characters from Andalasia bring enchantment to New York, while the New Yorkers give the Prince and Princess a taste of reality. In the end, both worlds blend, bringing out the best for all characters, with some clever twists and turns and an unexpected ending!

   This movie is not really a musical, although there is some singing and dancing. The choreography for the big dance number mid-way through the movie is entertaining and fun. In fact, the entire movie is filled with fun, humor, and silliness, but not to the point of being corny.

   I really enjoyed this film and recommend it to everyone who deserves a little pampering (and we all do). If you live near Alliance, Ohio, you can see it at the matinees (1:05 p.m. and 4:05 pm.) at Carnation Mall for only $2.25.

Copyright© 2007 by Laughing Crow

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