Encanto Magic Rant

Encanto magic rant

So. I loved Encanto very much. I am Latin American and that movie speaks so much to me because I love and appreciate my culture so much. But I've run into people that don't feel the same story-wise. They said there was something missing or not quite making sense so here I am just having watched some parts of the movie over again.

Story-wise this movie is different since it doesn't exactly follow the structure of other animated Disney movies: introduction, problem, climax, resolution (or something like that--remember I'm just here to rant). Encanto focuses so much on its characters and their introductions that I believe they become the plot itself. There is no villain, only an antagonist in Abuela Alma. There are no clear answers to many questions (Why did Mirabel not get a gift? What was her gift in the end? Did she even have one? Where did the magic come from? Why did it burn out? Why did it come back?), only interpretations can be made. I'll share my interpretations of these questions next.

Well, first of all, if Encanto is as based on Latin American literature as I think it is, then the magic just is. It exists. It doesn't need a reason. Magical Realism as a genre is just magic within the "normal" world with no explanation needed. It just exists and intertwines with regular life. So that's that on that explanation lol.

(This is the moment to add a disclaimer: I absolutely empathize with Abuela Alma. She went through a lot, but it doesn't change nor justify her actions or the repercussions these had on her family. I still love her even though I hated her a lot a little in the movie. Ok. It's complicated, I know.✨Latin American family dynamics.✨ Moving on.)

Regarding Mirabel's gift here's where it gets interesting. I believe that Mirabel has the gift that was supposed to be Abuela Alma's. Abuela Alma was given the candle, hence the Encanto, for safety; she was basically appointed the leader of the people with her. Her purpose was to keep the Encanto safe. But the Encanto is not only the physical place--her children are a part of it as well, as they are magical and so is every descendant of theirs. So, what happens when the children and grandchildren don't feel happy or safe because of the pressure Alma puts on them? The Encanto fades away (or breaks) because Alma is not caring for the Encanto (her family) properly.

Here's where Mirabel comes in. She is the one most in contact with their Casita: she speaks to it, notices the small changes in its behavior, gets the most help from it, etc. She is the one noticing something wrong with the magic in general and is the one that starts looking for a way to fix it, while Alma, who is supposed to be its protector and caretaker, just brushes Mirabel's worries off and accuses her of jealousy. A clear example of this is in the scene with Isabela's song where Mirabel listens and understands how unhappy Isabela has always been with her role in the family. Right after she accepts Isabela for who she wants to be and Isabela starts using her gift in a way that makes her happy the cracks in the Casita begin to heal. Mirabel's acceptance and nurture keep the family together. That's her gift.

Mirabel helps her family realize that they are not their gifts. Look at Luisa--she feels absolutely useless without her gift to the point where she breaks down because she loses it. Alma sort of conditioned her love with the magical gifts given to each family member. And without their gifts, Alma wouldn't appreciate them (look what happened to Mirabel) and that didn't make them feel safe or happy. Only when they all felt loved and safe and accepted for being their true selves (without their magic) was the magic able to come back. And who did that? Mirabel. And how did it happen? When she put the knob on the door like how the rest of her family members got their own gifts and rooms. Only she didn't get a mere room, she got a magic HOUSE that is supposed to reflect her gift. And who inhabits it? Her FAMILY.

In the end, Alma and Mirabel's gift (according to my theory) is not physical like the rest of their family's, their gift is more subjective. They are protectors.

If you made it this far, I love you, thanks for reading my rant❤️