Enchanted (2007)

Enchanted. Film review. In reviewing this film, i would like to get back to an article i wrote two years ago about Amy Adams in Junebug after which i had continously expressed in vigor, and furious kind of ways about how i loved her and all. A beautiful actress and a great talent to match. This love had land me a 'job' as a moderator to one of the biggest online TV and Film forum in Indonesia. A responsibility which i had already given up a year ago.

Enchanted is a simple fairy-tale-ish film, a felt-good film, a film with an ending already predictable even from the minute one. And as Junebug did years ago to me, i liked the film for the simple presence of Amy Adams as Giselle, a princess in a fairy tale who wishes nothing but a happy ending forever and ever after. Ms.Adams bought the fantasy part breathing alive with excitement to this otherwise a potent boredom of a film.

Giselle, is a maiden lives in a fantasy forest in Andalasia. She constantly wishes for a prince charming trotting her doorway, swoop up her off her feet, rode to the castle, marry her, and sealed off their fate forever and ever with a true love's kiss. Well of course, in every fairy-tale there's always this witch who doesn't want it to happen. The witch doesn't even waste a momentary pause to envisioned her devious plan and immediately sent Gisella to New York. A reality New York where she believes that there's no such thing as "happily ever after". Dazed and confused, Giselle met with a New Yorker, Robert and his daughter, Morgan. Anyway, Robert was about to ask his long-time girlfriend, Nancy to marry him. Meanwhile Prince Edward and Giselle's faithful chipmunk went to search for Giselle. The evil witch doesn't want to get leave behin as well. She sent Nathaniel, her servant to marred the Prince's plan. You know how it ends. No surprises there. It was after all a Walt Disney's picture.

I will always remembered Walt Disney as once it was. The king of animation. Particularly on a hand-drawn 2D animation films. There'd be no mistaking in recognizing Walt Disney's hand-drawn 2D animated films as they always had this familiar feelings which i couldn't really begin to describe with written words. Well, you know what i means. This film begins with 2D animation scenes and for a moment there i felt nostalgic. And i really had a serious doubt about the feel of the film would changed for worse when the scene shifted from 2D to reality. I was glad that i was wrong. The cartoon characters despite their emergence as they transformed into the real-world characters didn't actually changed the cartoon persona which kept the mood in check. And did i mentioned that it was due to Ms.Adams warm performance? I believe i did. In the end, everybody's got their own happy endings. A perfect fit if not an old-fashioned idea (read: boring) for a fairy-tale.

Anyway, somebody needs to hand a bigger check to Ms.Adams next time. She is more than deserves it.