It has been 15 years since Amy Adams’ Giselle found her happily ever after in Enchanted .
Whether we needed to find out what happened next is up for debate but in the era of Disney+ it was perhaps inevitable a sequel would magically appear.
Giselle is living a seemingly perfect life with husband Robert (Patrick Dempsey) and her children but when problems start to arise she makes a wish that heavily impacts on the real world and her animated fantasy home Andalasia .
Adam Shankman ( Hairspray , Rock of Ages ) replaces Kevin Lima in the director’s chair but he and his cast are hampered by a story and script that badly wastes their collective talents.
Several elements that promise much on paper - Giselle turning to the dark side, Maya Rudolph ( Malvina ) playing an evil queen, Andalasia bleeding into our world - barely deliver on half of their potential.
Adams tries her very best, and continues to be charming and relatable, but not even her star wattage can elevate everything around her.
Dempsey is bizarrely sidetracked and saddled with a wannabe hero sub plot, Rudolph doesn’t get the chance to show off her considerable comedic chops Yvette Nicole Brown ( Rosaleen ) and Jayma Mays ( Ruby ) are extremely annoying as Malvina’s sidekicks.
Faring better is Gabriella Baldacchino as Giselle’s stepdaughter Morgan . She is the true heart of the film and has the most interesting story arc as her annoyance with any mention of Andalasia gives way to a soul-searching journey reminiscent of her stepmother’s in the original.
James Marsden ( Edward ) is good fun but we don’t see enough of him and none of the songs will linger in your head the next day.
And while there are one or two exciting moments during the climax, they are surrounded by patchy CGI and the inescapable belief that no-one is in any real danger.
Disenchanted sprinkles the odd bit of fairy dust but is ultimately an inferior sequel coasting on the strengths of its magical predecessor.
● What are your thoughts on Disenchanted? Did Enchanted really need a sequel?
Pop me an email at ian.bunting@reachplc.com and I will pass on your comments – and any movie or TV show recommendations you have – to your fellow readers.
● Disenchanted is streaming on Disney+ now.
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