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.
Concerns
Witchcraft & Occult
HighWitchcraft 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.
LGBTQ & Gender Identity
MediumThe 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
MediumThe 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.
Nathaniel threatens Pip the chipmunk with a knife to his throat and later attempts to kill him by throwing him into an oven. Queen Narissa transforms into a large, fearsome dragon, kidnapping Robert and engaging in a dramatic battle with Giselle atop a skyscraper, ultimately falling to her apparent death. Prince Edward wields his sword, at one point holding it to a man's neck and stabbing a bus.
Romance and Sexual Content
MediumRomantic 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
MediumThe 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.
Profanity
LowThe 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.
Movieguide states 'no discernible foul language in movie but one light exclamatory “Oh God” in trailer'. A YouTube video points out a very brief, muffled instance where a background character yells 'get the f*** off the bus' as a bus driver exits.
Substance Use
LowSubstance 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.
Alcohol use is present in background scenes in restaurants and bars, typical of an urban New York setting, but is not highlighted or problematic. Reviews from the Australian Council on Children and the Media and Dove.org explicitly state 'Use of substances. None noted,' indicating no significant or explicit substance use that would concern parents.
Disrespect & Rebellion
LowWhile 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
LowThe 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.
Other Notes
Target Demographic
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.
Additional Notes
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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