Genre Animation

Encanto (2021)

Item: Encanto
Rating: 3.5
Author: Ross McLaren

★★★½ — Encanto (2021)

Released in November 2021, Encanto arrived at an interesting moment for Walt Disney Animation Studios: a period of renewed confidence following a run of well-received features, yet also a time when the studio was reckoning with how to reach audiences split between cinemas and streaming. The film went to Disney Plus just weeks after its theatrical debut, which complicated its box office performance somewhat, yet it found a second life on the platform that few could have predicted. The story centres on the Madrigal family, a Colombian clan living in a sentient, magical house tucked away in the mountains, where every member has been granted a unique supernatural gift. Every member, that is, except Mirabel. From that simple, quietly painful premise, the film builds a portrait of family expectation, inherited pressure, and the invisible burden carried by those who feel like they don't quite fit. Colombia itself is not merely a backdrop here: the filmmakers worked with cultural consultants and made extended research trips to the country, and the result is a film shaped by specific regional traditions, architecture, food, and clothing rather than a vague, generalised "Latin American" aesthetic.

Byron Howard co-directs, and anyone familiar with his previous work at Disney will recognise certain instincts: a warm visual palette, a strong sense of character physicality, and a willingness to let the world of the film feel genuinely lived-in. Howard previously helmed Tangled and, more recently, Zootopia, both of which demonstrated a confidence with ensemble dynamics and expressive animation. He shares the director's chair here with Jared Bush, who co-wrote the screenplay alongside Charise Castro Smith. The songs were written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, whose involvement brought considerable pre-release attention, given his profile following Hamilton and Moana. The voice cast is anchored by Stephanie Beatriz, best known at the time for Brooklyn Nine-Nine, who brings a grounded, slightly self-deprecating quality to Mirabel that keeps the character sympathetic without tipping into sentimentality. Alongside her, María Cecilia Botero voices the family matriarch Abuela Alma, John Leguizamo takes on the eccentric Uncle Bruno, and Diane Guerrero and Jess Darrow round out a notably large ensemble of siblings and cousins, each carrying their own subplot and, indeed, their own song.

For context, Encanto sits within a broader wave of Disney and Pixar features that have pushed toward more culturally specific storytelling, a polished but unremarkable trend in the abstract that becomes genuinely worthwhile when the execution is this considered. It is also worth noting that the film's most famous song, "We Don't Talk About Bruno," reached number one in several countries early in 2022, months after the film's release, which is a fairly unusual trajectory for an animated film soundtrack. Compared to other recent animated features reviewed here, such as the quietly affecting Josep or the altogether different pleasures of Trolls, Encanto occupies its own particular space: bigger in ambition than most, keener to carry genuine emotional weight, and carrying the full weight of the Disney machine behind it.

Encanto (2021) is a vibrant, musically rich addition to Disney’s modern animated canon, bursting with colour, culture, and heart. Set in a magical Colombian village, it follows Mirabel, the only member of her extraordinary family who doesn’t have a supernatural gift, as she tries to save their enchanted home from crumbling. The animation is stunning: every frame pulses with intricate patterns, lush landscapes, and expressive character designs that feel both fantastical and deeply rooted in real Colombian traditions. The songs, courtesy of Lin-Manuel Miranda, are catchy and character-driven, especially “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” which became a global phenomenon for good reason. They blend Latin rhythms with Broadway flair, adding emotional texture without overwhelming the story. And while the plot isn’t groundbreaking (it’s another tale of self-worth and family pressure) it handles its themes with more nuance than many Disney films, touching on intergenerational trauma, perfectionism, and the weight of expectation. That said, Encanto sometimes feels like it’s juggling too much: a large cast, multiple subplots, and rapid emotional shifts that don’t always land with full impact. The pacing stumbles in the middle, and a few characters get lost in the shuffle. But the core relationship (Mirabel’s quiet resilience against a family that overlooks her) resonates strongly. Not Disney’s most polished film, but one of its most culturally alive. With gorgeous visuals, memorable music, and genuine emotional warmth, Encanto may not reinvent the formula, but it sings with enough joy and sincerity to make the magic feel real.

I keep coming back to that central image of Mirabel standing slightly apart from her family, not bitterly, just quietly, and I think that's what gives the film its staying power for me. It's the kind of emotional note that a lot of family films reach for but rarely land cleanly. The soundtrack hasn't left my head either, which is either a testament to Miranda's craft or a mild curse, depending on the day. If you've been sleeping on this one because the streaming rollout made it feel disposable, do yourself a favour and give it a proper sit-down watch. Some films deserve more than a half-distracted evening scroll. This is one of them.

Rating: ★★★½ | Year: 2021 | Watched: 2026-04-15

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Trailer

▶ Watch the official trailer for Encanto (2021) on YouTube

Where to watch

Watch in the UK
Stream: Disney Plus
Rent: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Buy: Apple TV Store · Rakuten TV · Amazon Video · Google Play Movies
Physical: Amazon UK · Zavvi

Watch in the US
Stream: Disney Plus
Rent: Amazon Video · Apple TV Store · Google Play Movies · YouTube
Buy: Amazon Video · Apple TV Store · Google Play Movies · YouTube
Physical: Amazon US

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