If there’s one thing that Disney quite well, it’s produce animated movies that go on to become cultural phenomena. The most recent example of this is Encanto, which has come to be regarded as one of the best Disney movies of the last decade. However, it also has to be noted that it bears many similarities to that other great Disney phenomenon, Frozen, which also went on to become popular around the globe.
Thus, many of the users at Reddit have pointed out how Encanto is essentially a reinvigorated Frozen, with both good and bad results.
“We Don’t Talk About Bruno” Is The New “Let It Go”
There’s no question that “Let It Go” was one of the most popular Disney songs ever made. ThrowawayProse points out that “‘We don’t Talk About Bruno’ is the new ‘Let it Go.’” Though the songs don’t have a lot in common in terms of what they’re actually about, they are similar in the sense that they have gone on to dominate music charts, becoming a very key part of the cultural zeitgeist, even for those who haven’t necessarily seen the movie.
It’s More Relatable
Not everyone was quite as enamored of Frozen as everyone else, and so they have come to see Encanto as making some key improvements over its predecessor. OutwithaYang, for example, notes that “Encanto is a more relatable movie with more interesting characters anyway.”
There is something to this line of argument, in that Mirabel, in addition to being one of the movie’s most likable characters, is also much more straightforwardly sympathetic than her counterparts in Frozen, particularly since she has to overcome the lack of a magical power of her own.
The Plot Is Better
Though Frozen has a very touching plot about the powerful bond that exists between two sisters, there are some elements of it that haven’t aged particularly well. This is something that Chocobo_Kwehn points out, arguing that “Frozen is fine and it's great if it's your thing but I personally never went back to it because of the plot.” Given that Encanto offers a quest plot that is more about going inside of the home rather than outside of it, this line of argument makes sense, and there’s no question that the new movie breaks some new ground for Disney in terms of storytelling.
“What Else Can I Do” Updates “Let It Go”
As with all of the great Disney movies, a key part of the appeal to Encanto are its many great songs. Though “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” gets the lion’s share of the attention, there are many other songs that are equally worthy, including “What Else Can I Do.” OmiCupid rightly argues that “‘What Else Can I Do’ is a better version of ‘Let It Go.’” As with so many of the other commenters on Reddit, there’s a lot of accuracy in this statement, as this song has a powerful poignancy that can’t be denied.
Builds A Whole Movie Around “Let It Go”
“Let It Go” has gone down in history as one of the most popular Disney songs in the history of the studio, so it makes sense that its impact would continue to be felt. In fact, in many ways it seems as if Encanto as a movie is entirely built around the central concept of the song. This is something that tooinvolvedinfiction notes, though they also point out that this may be the reason the movie doesn’t focus too much on the aunt that can control the weather, since “her arc would’ve been exactly like Elsa’s.”
They’re Inverses Of One Another
Like many other studios, Disney has a set of established formulas that it uses when they make their movies, and many of those are on display with Frozen. Encanto, however, works to turn those on their head, as one Reddit user notes. They say that “In Frozen, MC has powers while everyone else has no powers. In Encanto, MC has no powers while everyone else has powers.” This allows Encanto to explore some thematic territory that Frozen left largely unexplored, and it raises different philosophical questions.
It’s The Newest Franchise
This is something of a golden age for the franchise, and every studio and streaming service is on the lookout for a new property to make use of. This is certainly true of Encanto, which is thematically and artistically rich. This has been a cause for celebration for fans of Frozen, who think that this new movie could get the same treatment as its predecessor.
Firefly183 is particularly pleased, as they make clear when they say “I'd love to see characters like Delores and Camilo better fleshed out.”
There Are Even More Characters To Develop
Like Frozen, Encanto has a whole host of characters that are ripe for further exploration. Many fans of both movies have pointed out that they would like to see many members of the Madrigal family get some more screen time. Their_screentime, for example, argues that, “The number of key characters is much larger than Frozen, and several of them (Pepa’s side of the family + Julietta and Agustin) haven’t really been developed as much as the rest yet and all have important roles within the family.” There are seemingly limitless opportunities for creators to utilize.
Isabel And Mirabel Mirror Anna And Elsa
Anna deserves to be seen as one of the most likable characters in Frozen, in part because she is very devoted to her sister. Though Mirabel’s relationship is a bit more rocky with Isabel, the two of them ultimately realize just how much they love one another. As wedonttalkaboutB argues, “Isabela and Mirabel learning to trust one another and deepening their sisterly bond is certainly a similarity to Elsa and Anna.” In fact, the relationship between the two is one of the best in the entire movie.
It Should Follow Frozen’s Example
Of course, the idea that Encanto can be a franchise like Frozen raises some concerns. Specifically, there’s a worry that the studio might end up giving audiences too much of a good thing by producing too many spin-offs. Iamgoingtolive argues that Frozen “was never milked, it had a few shorts and a sequel.” If Encanto aims to be the phenomenon that Frozen became, it will have to make sure not to saturate the market to such a degree that people grow tired of it.