Movie review: There is much to like in Encanto - particularly the stunning animation

Encanto

★★★

It could be argued that all of Disney’s animated movies involve a degree of magical realism, but Encanto (PG), which is set in a remote jungle valley in Colombia, makes the magic realism explicit.

The paradisical town of Encanto looks for guidance to the Madrigal family — for generations of Madrigals, under the aegis of their matriarch Abuela Alma (voiced by María Cecilia Botero), have been born with special gifts that protect the townspeople and help them to thrive. 

The exception, alas, is young Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz), whose only ‘gift’ is her ability to keep the family home running smoothly whilst her more erratic siblings and cousins run amok. 

But when the magic that protects Encanto begins to crack and crumble, it is Mirabel’s very ordinariness — and her natural talent for empathy and compassion — that just might save her valley from disaster.

There is much to like in Encanto, and particularly the stunning animation that brings the lush jungle backdrop to life; and the songs, by Lin-Manuel Miranda, are fresh and toe-tappingly vibrant, even if there isn’t a single stand-out track that might carry the movie onto another level. 

Its central metaphor is one to applaud (the Madrigals first arrived in their remote valley as refugees fleeing terror and persecution), and it’s hard to find fault with the message that celebrates the strength of family bonds. 

That said, and the setting apart, there isn’t a whole lot that’s new about Encanto, and while its target audience might not complain about that, older viewers might well experience a sense of déjà vu. (cinema release)