In 2017 when Amy Adams was announced to reprise her role as Giselle in a sequel to the 2007 film Enchanted, I was overcome with excitement. However, I had largely forgotten about the upcoming film until the trailers were finally released in 2022 and my enthusiasm was reignited. 

Chalked full of musical numbers, fairytale references, and incredible acting, I couldn’t help but smile in awe at the cleverness of this movie. The expectations from my childhood were gracefully met with the musical style and talented actors that I grew up with. 

The opening scene features Pip—Giselle’s chipmunk friend voiced by Griffin Newman—recounting the tales of Enchanted to his children. Set in an animated universe just like the first movie, this was the perfect intro to summarize the previous events and introduce the audience to what actually happens after “happily ever after.” Although this recap may not compare to Olaf’s version in Frozen II, it still made me laugh with its creativity and wonderfully fit with a fairytale premise.

I was also pleased to find that Giselle’s princess “everything will be okay” spirit hadn’t been dampened over the years. Just like in the first movie, Giselle is still open to talking to animals and impromptu singing with a positive love for whatever land she finds herself in. 

However, after so many years, Giselle’s stepdaughter Morgan—now played by Gabriella Baldacchino—is no longer the six-year-old girl she once was. Grown into the moody years of a teenager, this change helps drive the plot of the film as the character reacts to the clichés of being the new girl at school. 

As one may expect, Giselle’s wish to give her family the “fairy tale life” it once knew does not turn out as intended. The movie then stems into thrilling musical numbers, gorgeous outfits, and an overall cheerful atmosphere, and of course, I’m never one to oppose listening to the belting talents of Idina Menzel. 

With references to classics of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White in the first film, I was curious to see how much would be included in Disenchanted. To my delight, the writers and set designers did not disappoint. In some scenes, they managed to combine elements from three or more Disney princess fairytales. While performing a Beauty and the Beast-inspired musical number, my entire family started laughing as one of the characters reenacted one of Ariel’s iconic moments from The Little Mermaid. 

My only complaint is that the family’s new baby plays a largely insignificant role in the story as a whole. While I liked that the focus remained on Morgan, I felt that the adorable baby deserved more screen time and could have had a bigger impact on the plot; instead, the baby’s presence seemed like a forced excuse to throw in another fairytale reference. 

Without a doubt, Amy Adams drives the acting talent with the range of personalities and emotions she plays in addition to the wonderful singing she brings to the movie. I’m always impressed with how the actors are able to balance their roles of being surprisingly realistic in an expected cliché fairytale. 

Overall, Disenchanted is the perfect movie to snuggle up with a blanket and watch with the entire family. There was an overall thrilling atmosphere for all ages to enjoy, and it brought back the best childhood nostalgia.