Disenchanted takeaway: How is the new film different from the 2007 prequel?

Disenchanted, the long-awaited sequel to Enchanted (2007) arrived on Disney+ on November 18, bringing back many familiar characters along with some new ones. Helmed by Adam Shankman, this new film is vastly different from the original, which is considered one of the best fantasy films of its time. Sadly, this difference is not limited to plot and themes alone but also quality.

Anyhow, the new film is set years after Giselle's (Amy Adams) adventures led her to the live-action world of New York City. The film opens with an exploration of Giselle's "happily ever after," and explores her life as a regular citizen with a loving husband, Robert (Patrick Dempsey), and a now teenage stepdaughter, Morgan (Gabriella Baldacchino).

Despite having many new dynamics, the film tried to bring back the magic in the exact same way and in the process may have overburdened the script.

Given the popularity of the original film, there will still be plenty of takers for Disenchanted. Here are the major differences between the two films.

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How is Disenchanted different from its prequel?

If we were to count in numbers, there would be too much to cover. Instead, speaking thematically, the major difference between Enchanted and Disenchanted is the genre. While the original was more of a romantic comedy, its sequel is more geared towards being a family drama with elements of magic and fantasy.

Teenage Morgan's dynamic with her stepmother and the eventual resolution is one such example of this. It is also an exploration of Gisele's character as a grown-up. The previous film saw her as a new girl in a big city and explored her growth in acceptance and finding love. Disenchanted does not follow this theme at all. In fact, for more than half the film, Gisele is not even a princess.

Of course, both films still aim to critique the Disney princess films from past eras, but their approaches are vastly different. Long before the film was released, director Adam Shankman narrated his vision about the differences between the two films in an interview. He said:

"It became more about family. The first movie was essentially a romantic comedy, but it was also hinging on the fact that Giselle was a fish out of water. She’s not a fish out of water anymore so we had to make everyone else a fish out of water."

He further added:

"Unless you wanted her to have marital problems with Robert, which we did not want to do, the romantic comedy thing wasn’t so much there, so it was about creating all of the energy that makes it feel like Enchanted, with an entirely new set of rules."

Another shared theme between the two films was Gisele's search for a "Happily Ever After." Though the first does provide that, the second one proves that her ever-after life is a normal family life.

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Disenchanted was thoroughly engaging, but it lacked the magic of the original film. It was also a little overburdened with storylines, managing to make the whole ordeal rather dragged. The first film also featured some very memorable tracks.

Anyhow, both films are engaging in their own way and will have a loyal fanbase, even if it isn't a shared one.