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Enchanted

Name: Enchanted - Christian Parent's Review
Item: Enchanted
Rating: 2
Author: StoryScanner

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General Review

Parent's Guide to Enchanted

Enchanted is a vibrant musical fantasy romantic comedy from Disney that creatively merges traditional 2D animation with live-action filmmaking. The narrative centers on Giselle, an archetypal animated princess from the fantastical realm of Andalasia, who is abruptly thrust into the cynical and chaotic reality of modern-day New York City by an evil queen. As Giselle endeavors to adapt to her bewildering new surroundings, she forms an unlikely bond with Robert, a jaded divorce lawyer, and his young daughter, Morgan. Meanwhile, Giselle's animated fiancé, Prince Edward, and the queen's bumbling henchman, Nathaniel, also cross over into the real world in pursuit of her. The film playfully parodies classic fairy tale conventions while exploring themes of genuine love, self-discovery, and the harmonious integration of fantasy into everyday life. Designed to entertain a broad family audience, "Enchanted" offers engaging characters and humor appealing to both children and adults. However, it also includes elements that warrant parental discretion for younger viewers due to some intense scenes and mild suggestive content.

Things to Consider

High1

Witchcraft & Occult

Witchcraft and magical elements are a core part of the film's fantasy genre and plot. The antagonist, Queen Narissa, is an evil sorceress who uses dark magic, spells, poisoned objects, and transformations to achieve her malicious goals, making these themes central and explicit.

Queen Narissa, disguised as an old witch, offers Giselle a poisoned apple, causing her to fall into a deep, magical sleep. Narissa frequently uses magical communication, appearing as a face in Nathaniel's soup to direct him in his schemes to harm Giselle. The Queen also transforms herself into a large, menacing dragon to directly confront and attack Giselle and Robert.

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Medium4

LGBTQ & Gender IdentityViolenceRomance and Sexual ContentScary & Intense Content

Low4

ProfanitySubstance UseDisrespect & RebellionAnti-Christian Themes

Medium4

LGBTQ & Gender Identity

The film does not feature openly LGBTQ+ characters or explicit discussions of gender identity. However, review outlets note subtle 'gay winks' or light jokes about homosexuality. Additionally, one long-tail source discusses how Giselle's character, despite not being explicitly queer, served as an inspiration for a trans individual's gender expression through her bold femininity.

Plugged In notes 'Slugs appear on this blooming flower in the form of a couple of toilet humor gags and “gay” winks'. Movieguide mentions 'a couple very light jokes about homosexuality'. An example of a 'gay wink' is when Prince Edward is searching for Giselle, a 'beefy (male) biker-type gives him an amorous look,' and construction workers 'grin and grimace when Nathaniel tells them he's not looking for a princess—he's looking for a prince'. An Xtra Magazine article describes how Giselle's uninhibited and maximalist femininity, as an outsider defining her own womanhood, resonated with a trans person's gender awakening.

Violence

The movie contains fantasy violence, including threats, chases, and a significant battle sequence. While some violence is cartoonish, other moments, especially those involving the main antagonist, can be intense and potentially frightening for younger viewers.

Romance and Sexual Content

Romantic themes are central to the film, featuring numerous kisses. There are instances of mild innuendo and some characters wear revealing clothing, particularly the villainess, Queen Narissa, and Giselle in certain scenes. These elements are generally mild but present.

The plot revolves around Giselle finding true love, culminating in several passionate kisses between Giselle and Robert. Giselle is shown exiting a shower with a towel draped by birds, and subsequently, she and Robert accidentally trip, causing her to land on top of him while still in the towel. Both Giselle's and Queen Narissa's attire, including Giselle's wedding dress and Narissa's form-fitting gowns, are noted for exposing some cleavage.

Scary & Intense Content

The movie includes several scenes designed to create suspense and fright, primarily centered around the villainous Queen Narissa and her magical actions. The most intense sequences involve her transformation into a dragon and subsequent confrontation, which can be disturbing for very young children.

The climactic battle features Queen Narissa transforming into a large, fearsome dragon, pursuing and attacking Robert and Giselle in a harrowing sequence atop a New York City skyscraper, which reviews compare to intense scenes in 'Harry Potter' or 'King Kong'. Earlier, an animated giant troll chases Giselle, and the scene where Queen Narissa (disguised as an old witch) pushes Giselle into a well, causing her to fall through a dark portal, is presented with frightening visuals. Nathaniel's attempts to harm Pip, such as threatening him with a knife and attempting to throw him into an oven, also create moments of peril.

Low4

Profanity

The movie contains very minimal instances of mild language. While one background exclamation with a strong word has been noted, and a mild exclamatory 'Oh God' in the trailer, the film itself is largely free of explicit profanity.

Substance Use

Substance use in the film is minimal and incidental, limited to background scenes involving alcohol in adult settings. There is no focus on intoxication, addiction, or illegal substances, and it is not central to the storyline.

Disrespect & Rebellion

While the movie's antagonists, Queen Narissa and Nathaniel, exhibit malicious and deceptive behavior, their actions are clearly framed as villainous and are not glorified. The protagonists generally model positive values, with Giselle's initial naiveté evolving into a more realistic understanding of relationships and the world, promoting positive resolution.

Queen Narissa repeatedly demonstrates extreme disrespect for Giselle's life and Edward's happiness by attempting to murder Giselle to retain her throne, and she manipulates Nathaniel through lies and magic to achieve her goals. Nathaniel, under Narissa's influence, shows defiance by trying to thwart Prince Edward's search for Giselle, embodying deceitful and disloyal behavior until his eventual change of heart.

Anti-Christian Themes

The film operates within a traditional fairy tale fantasy framework, featuring magical elements rather than religious ones. It does not contain explicit anti-Christian messages, criticisms, or mockery. Movieguide even notes that the film has a 'strong moral worldview with light Christian elements and messages.'

Movieguide highlights that the film upholds a 'biblical view of love, and a biblical relationship between a man and a woman,' and portrays 'evil as evil and good as good,' suggesting an alignment with certain Christian values despite its fantasy setting. The use of magic by characters like Queen Narissa is presented as a fantastical narrative device inherent to the fairy tale genre, rather than promoting occultism in opposition to religious faith.

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From a Christian worldview, Disney's "Enchanted" presents several themes that align with biblical values, particularly regarding love and morality. The film strongly upholds a view of love that matures beyond superficial infatuation, progressing towards genuine commitment and sacrifice, which resonates with Christian teachings on enduring love (agape). It implicitly refutes a purely 'Romantic' notion of love, instead emphasizing that real relationships require effort and dedication, as exemplified by Giselle's journey and her impact on Robert's cynical outlook. The narrative clearly distinguishes between good and evil, with Queen Narissa embodying malice and deceit, while Giselle consistently displays a pure, kind, and empathetic heart, eager to help others and saddened by broken relationships. Characters are generally rewarded for virtue, and there is clear moral accountability, as Narissa's evil schemes ultimately fail. The film promotes a transcendent view where good triumphs over evil, suggesting universal moral truths rather than a relativistic worldview. The portrayal of family values is largely positive, affirming lifelong marriage and demonstrating the emotional pain and negative impact of divorce, encouraging reconciliation through Giselle's influence. Giselle also fosters a loving bond with Robert's daughter, Morgan, illustrating the importance of nurturing family relationships. While not explicitly Christian, themes of redemption are present. Nathaniel's eventual turning away from Narissa's evil and his apology demonstrate a form of repentance and a move towards moral clarity. The central motif of "true love's kiss" acting as a powerful, curse-breaking force can be metaphorically understood as a sacrificial act of love that brings healing and restoration, echoing concepts of grace and transformative love. The movie operates within a fantasy framework with magical elements, but these are generally presented as narrative devices inherent to fairy tales rather than promoting occultism in opposition to religious faith. Overall, "Enchanted" offers a strong moral worldview with light Christian elements, making it a valuable film for discussing themes of love, commitment, and the triumph of good with Christian families.

Additional Context

Best For Ages

7-8+ with Parental Guidance: The movie is rated PG for some scary images and mild innuendo. While older children (8+) should be largely fine, younger children (under 7) may find certain scenes, particularly those involving the evil queen's transformations and the dragon, to be frightening or intense. Parental guidance is recommended for discussing themes and potentially unsettling moments.

Good to Know

The sequel, 'Disenchanted,' released later, explores themes of marital dissatisfaction after ten years of marriage, which represents a thematic evolution from the original film's 'happily ever after' premise. However, specific content changes (e.g., increased violence, profanity) for the sequel were not detailed in the scope of this analysis for 'Enchanted.'

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