'Encanto': Magical realism tracing relatable family issues and self-discovery

Disney's Encanto is one of the best animated movies released this year. The company has been delivering animated feature films to viewers since 1937 but it went above and beyond for its 60th release. The animated musical comedy has gained critical acclaim for its animation, diversity, and songs.

Encanto was released theatrically in the U.S. on 24 November 2021 and Disney+ on 24 December 2021. The film features an exceptional voice cast including Stephanie Beatriz, Maluma, Adassa, Rhenzy Feliz, Carolina Gaitán among others.

Its soundtrack of earworms has been written by none other than Lin-Manuel Miranda, who is also famous for his songs in In the Heights, Hamilton, and Moana.

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'Encanto' synopsis: The tale of a fantastical family

The plot of Encanto revolves around 15-year-old Mirabel who, despite her empathetic and quirky personality, is a black sheep in her extraordinary family. The Madrigal family is known for the unique gifts its members possess.

From shapeshifting, making flowers blossom, super-strength, to healing wounds with food, talking to animals, and foreseeing the future, their magical powers are put to good use for the welfare of the townspeople.

However, during one of the family members' magical gift unveiling ceremony, Mirabel noticed cracks appearing in the house. Furthermore, she witnesses the magical candle that powers everyone's gifts dimming.

She tried to warn her family but they dismissed it as her being delirious. Encanto then follows Mirabel on her journey towards saving her casita and family from impending doom.

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'Encanto' has a lesson for everyone

Through majestic animation, vibrant settings, and catchy songs, Encanto explores some deep-seated family and individual issues. It melds the themes of love, acceptance, and family expectations along with breaking generational trauma and getting on with the present.

The matriarch in Encanto, Abuela Alma, has every family member, with or without gifts, under her thumb. Having faced decrepitude and struggles, she has vowed not to let history repeat and thus set abnormally high expectations for her children and grandchildren.

Crushed under the weight of those expectations, family members are not only secretly unhappy, but also begin losing their gifts. This is conveyed in Isabela and Luisa's songs What Else Can I Do and Surface Pressure respectively.

Trauma has trickled down in every generation of Encanto's Madrigal family. Abuela lost her husband and home. Coupled with that, her children lost their brother after a prophecy he made that deeply upset Abuela. Among her grandchildren, the trauma piled on in the form of Mirabel's lack of magic.

Thus, every generation suffered in secrecy while putting up a jovial facade everyday. Ultimately, Mirabel broke this cycle of generational trauma through her efforts to save the family's magic and bring them closer with her empathy and kindness.

Encanto also offers a lesson in self-discovery as Mirabel finally realizes her true self and the fact that she doesn't need to fit a certain mold to be special. The film celebrates individuality and empowers everyone to find what makes them special.

It also emphasizes that it's not the talent or the power that makes someone special but it's their heart and personality that make them shine brighter than any mystical person.

Encanto is now available to stream on Disney+.