« Movies, TV, Celebrities Forum

So I watched Encanto... [LONG RANT][REPOST]

Reposting this essay I published earlier in the morning because I didn't realize blogs, forums, and bulletins weren't all the same thing. I feel dumb. Please check my blog if you'd like the version with pictures, I don't feel like adding them again.


I just finished watching Encanto with my mom after she forced me to watch it with her, and honestly it blew all of my expectations out of the water.
I loved literally every single character! They were all so charming in their own way, and the fact we get to spend a little time with all of them and hear them sing was just so satisfying to me.


✨Spoilers for Encanto, duh!✨



Mirabel was a good protagonist, I liked her design, she looks a bit like me irl, so I was instantly drawn to her. I have more to say about her, but that's comes later.

Antonio was SO cute, I loved his design, his voice, his personality, his gift, literally everything. PLEASE let me adopt him.

Luisa I really related to personality wise. Having to carry everyone's burdens just because you're "the strong one" and no one taking into consideration how you feel is something I think everyone can relate to. I remember someone saying that they wish there was a female character in the media that is presented as strong without being flat out rude/cold and I think Luisa is a great representative for that category. I also like that none of the characters ever condemn her for crying, it's a really nice touch.

Dolores was so pretty, definitely my favorite character visual wise. I loved her personality, and how they inferred that she thought she was destined to always be inferior to Isabela. I did not like how she couldn't keep her mouth shut about Mirabel's fortune. I guess it makes sense considering her gift, but it's one thing to not be able to keep a secret, and it's another to exaggerate how your cousin is the reason the house is crumbling to your entire family during a proposal dinner.

Isabela, in all honesty, I hated up until she finally sang What Else Can I Do?. And even then it still really didn't redeem her, I hate how they always justify the pretty girl acting like a betch with "oh noooo!!!!! I'm so beautiful that everyone has unrealistic expectations from me and it's so stressful trying to be so perfect all the time!!!!! Oh poor me, I wish I was allowed to make mistakes and still be beautiful!!! "
Shut up. Your mistake is being such a betch.
The only reason why I like Isabela is because of her gift. Her cactuses are beautiful, and she did seem to make a complete 180 after her song. But realistically speaking, even if you want to be nice to someone, you're still going to treat them like trash out of habit, even unintentionally. She's got a lot of work to do if she wants to stop being such a pissbaby.

I don't have a lot to say about most of the male characters, maybe I just wasn't paying enough attention, but I feel like they didn't get enough screen time for me to have a real opinion on them. Camilo is cute and funny though.

(Adding Pepa and Julieta in after writing this, because I forgot about them .)

Julieta was alright, she was just kinda there. Barely. She supports and loves Mirabel but doesn't stand up to Abuela about how she treats her. I can't imagine my mother not doing that. I can't imagine myself not doing that. I don't dislike Julieta, but she could've done better as a parent.

Pepa is cute. I love her gift and her personality. I wish she was my aunt irl, she seems like a lot of fun to be around.

Bruno I feel like was done so dirty in the movie. He's honestly such a big sweetheart and it's so sad that he was outcasted as a black sheep. Even though he "left" on his own accord, you could tell he was pretty disliked by the family as a whole. Can't imagine how it must feel to hear your entire family sing a song about how they "don't talk about you" over something you really don't have any control over.

Now for the Abuela... did I say I loved every character in this movie? I lied. Buckle up. I have a LOT to say about this scumbag.
The way she treated Mirabel from the very beginning was disgusting. You find out your grandchild doesn't have a special gift like the rest of the family, what do you do? Do you comfort her, since you KNOW she'll already grow up feeling out of place from the rest of the family? Do you use that as a bonding point, being the only two members of the family without a gift? No, you express your disappointment to a CHILD that has absolutely no control over whether the house gifts her or not. A child that you were JUST SUPPORTING AND SHOWING SO MUCH LOVE TO. 
Okay, so she's disappointed, that's fine. She's going to treat Mirabel differently than everyone because of something that she can't control, what's the worst that could happen? Oh wait.. doesn't she have an ENTIRE SON that disappeared off the face of the earth and has no idea where he is or why he left? Why would he leave such a wonderful family that outcasts him and portrays him as a monster for something he can't help?
(I know that he left to protect Mirabel, but Abuela didn't see the prophecy so she had no clue as to why he vanished.)
Honestly, this women fails as a mother as well. She allowed one of her own children, her only son, that was created with the love of her life, to be bullied out of the family? Her three children are ALL she has left of her husband, and she treats one so poorly that he's forced to leave. 
And Abuela doesn't even learn her lesson after that. You'd think that the loss of her son would be so devastating that she'd make sure to never do the same with Mirabel because she doesn't want to lose anyone else, but no. Nothing changes. Not only is Mirabel actively excluded from the family, but Abuela also allows said family to trash talk Bruno, otherwise his name is literally never to be said. It really shows how much she loves her son, and even her husband. She doesn't even respect Pedro enough to recognize Bruno as the only son he ever had and that he should be cherished for that alone. I would even question her love for Julieta, as the love you have for your own child is usually the same love you have your grandchild, tenfold.
I was going to write more, but it's currently 5 AM and I've been writing this for over two hours so I'm just gonna sum up my last point. I understand that the house didn't give Mirabel her own room, but there is NO reason she should have spent her entire life up to adulthood sleeping in the nursery, ESPECIALLY after Antonio was born. From the looks of it, everyone's rooms are ridiculously huge and there is no reason Mirabel couldn't have stayed in a room with one of her sisters without invading their space. 
Even Abuela's "redemption" scene wasn't really all that. All she did was acknowledge that she was the problem and accepted that the family isn't perfect, which is the bare minimum. Now of course that's a good start, but then we run into the critique I had towards Isabela. I guarantee the abuse and unrealistic expectations she had towards the family and Mirabel did not disappear. And even if it did, she can't fix the anxiety Mirabel has of never feeling good enough. She can't bring back all the years (10+) Bruno spent isolated inside the house walls. That's irreversible. 

TL;DR: I love Encanto and it's characters, except for Abuela. She's so fake and doesn't deserve to be forgiven.

-

SORRY THAT THIS WAS SO LONG LMAO. I didn't realize how angry I was until I started typing. If you actually read this, thank you. And I apologize for any spelling/grammar errors, or whatever else I forgot to edit out. Feel free to comment and tell me what you agree or disagree with, or just to add anything in general. I'm going to sleep right after I post this, but I'll check the comments once I wake up! Have a good day/night! <33


Report Topic

0 Replies