Featuring another tour-de-force performance by Amy Adams, starring as the charming ingenue turned wicked stepmother, this sequel will please fans. Disenchanted reverses the roles of its predecessor: Instead of a cartoon princess landing in real-world New York, the princess turns her new home in the suburbs into a fairytale world and, in the process, becomes evil and risks sucking the life out of the actual magical kingdom of Andalasia.
It's a clever premise -- what suburb couldn't use a little excitement? -- that allows the actors to play against character and the characters to further parody Disney tropes. By far the film's highlight is a showstopping villain sing-off between Adams and Maya Rudolph -- two evil divas dressed to the nines and fighting over who's "badder" and should be queen. They bring PTA-mom rivalry to a whole new level.
The film has some funny lyrics about the family's move to the "magic kingdom of suburbia" and what constitutes a fairytale life. But the set-up of the story and presentation of character updates (cute little Morgan is now a sullen teen) takes a bit too long and the intro section lulls.
It's only once Giselle starts to feel evil that the film picks up and the real fun begins. Her chipmunk turns into an amusingly evil fat cat ("I feel so superior!"), and Adams appears to be having a blast arguing with herself as good and bad Giselle fight over her spirit. Patrick Dempsey also looks to be enjoying himself, failing at slaying dragons and giants.
But Enchanted, and now Disenchanted, is Amy Adams' show, and not even Idina Menzel's spectacular singing or Rudolph's droll eyebrow lifts can steal her limelight.
Read the full review at Common Sense Media.
Images courtesy of Disney+.
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