When Two Worlds Collide

Rating: 8/10 (28 March 2008)

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from "Enchanted": corny retread of Disney themes or inspired genre-bending? The movie begins in the animated world of Andalasia, which borrows copiously from "Snow White". We have the young damsel (named Giselle) loved by woodland creatures, her knight-in-shining-armor (Prince Edward), and the evil stepmother (Queen Narissa). So far, signs point to corny retread. Novelty is introduced as Giselle is sent packing down a wormhole by the evil queen because Giselle's impeding marriage to Prince Edward will dethrone Narissa. At the end of the wormhole, Giselle pops up through a manhole onto the streets of New York City, sans animation.
Giselle is clueless in this new world, and the naive woman is befriended by conservative divorce lawyer Robert Phillip (Patrick Dempsey) and his daughter, Morgan. I still wasn't sure about the movie until one scene in particular laid its hook in me, and the film kept me hooked the rest of the way. In Andalasia, Giselle had sung out her window to beckon woodland creatures to help her in her work. When faced with Robert's messy apartment, she does the same thing, but, ya know, this is New York City. So what should respond to her call but pigeons, rats, flies, and cockroaches. Not batting an eye at the obvious decline in quality of her beckonees, Giselle happily orchestrates the creatures while singing "The Happy Working Song". Brilliant!
Since the collision of animated fairytale-land with the contemporary real world is mostly virgin territory, there were many possible ways this venture could play out. For the most part, the makers of this film hit the nail on the head. By juxtaposing these two different worlds, the filmmakers manage to astutely compare and contrast these worlds, identifying what is good and bad in each of them. The fairytale-land of classic romance-based Disney movies such as "Snow White" and "The Little Mermaid" create an enchanted world of childlike enthusiasm and trust, because, after all, they're aimed at children. But these movies also contain old social mores in which people, especially young women, are more wrapped up in the ideal image of love and marriage rather than the specific personality of their lovers. Contemporary New Yorkers, on the other hand, have become so involved with their careers in a callous, fast- paced world that they've become too calculated and cynical when it comes to love. "Enchanted"brings about a rich cross-fertilization between these worlds as Philip is genuinely affected by Giselle's childlike enthusiasm and belief in love, and Giselle comes to realize that it may be a good idea to actually get to know your lover before you marry him.
Amy Adams is simply remarkable in manifesting the naivety, childlike enthusiasm, and pure sincerity of a classic Disney princess into the real world of contemporary New York. Prince Edward follows Giselle to New York City, and James Marsden does a fine job of portraying Edward as a classic full-of-himself jock. Susan Sarandon and Timothy Spall are well-cast as the classic Disney villains. Giselle's lovable sidekick Pip, a chipmunk, even gets a real world makeover via CGI, and he enriches the story by engaging in many hilarious antics. All in all, the cast from Andalusia does create a sense of enchantment that would make Walt Disney proud, and the New York cast help the Andalasians break out of their outdated social mindset to get a better grip on reality. While being a fun ride, some good moral lessons are provided for the young and old alike.