Top 10 Disenchanted Callbacks to the Original

“Disenchanted” promotes Pip to narrator, filling in for Julie Andrews. The sequel opens with Pip reading a story to his offspring. No, not “Silence Isn’t Golden.” Pip reads the book “Enchanted,” which opened and closed the first film. Of course, this isn’t a pop-up book like the last one. Maybe it’s a reprint? In any case, Pip recaps how Giselle traveled from Andalasia to New York. In addition to revisiting several familiar plot points, Pip provides his rendition of “True Love’s Kiss.” No offense, but we prefer Amy Adams’ musical chops. Pip’s children know the story and songs so well that they can sum it up quicker than him. Pip thus feels it’s time for Giselle’s after happily after story, pulling “Disenchanted” off the shelf.

The original “Enchanted” commences with Prince Edward rescuing Giselle from a giant troll. By the end, the troll appears to be reformed, as he stands in line for Pip’s book signing. As we return to Andalasia in “Disenchanted,” the green troll can be found fishing with some of his brethren on a peaceful day as humans pass by. Rather than hunt trolls, the kingdom has seemingly accepted them into society. In the third act, the troll joins Edward, Nancy, and the woodland critters in an effort to save Andalasia from losing all of its magic. Andalasia might not have a troll problem anymore, but they still have to deal with dragons, ogre rebellions, and the occasionally world-ending wish.

Among the first film’s many references to Disney staples, Queen Narissa tries to take Giselle out of the picture by feeding her a poisoned apple. Narissa is long gone in “Disenchanted,” but she’s not the only evil queen who keeps a poisoned apple on hand. Thinking of ways to deal with Giselle, Malvina rummages through her cabinets where a poisoned apple is stocked. Malvina ultimately decides against using the tainted fruit, feeling that it’s too cliched for her tastes. That doesn’t mean she’s against using other classic villain tactics. Malvina instead winds up using a sleeping potion on Morgan during the climax. The potion has pretty much the same effect as the apple, although true love’s kiss isn’t the remedy this time.

Giselle has a way with animals, whether they’re cute and cuddly or ridden with disease. In New York, she makes fast friends with the local rats, roaches, and pigeons, who help to clean Robert’s apartment. Or do they actually make it filthier? Either way, they remain close with Giselle throughout the years, but it’s time for a new chapter in “Disenchanted.” Heading for Monroeville, Giselle bids farewell to her vermin pals, reminding them that they can always reach her with a familiar, musical call. Giselle finds more animal companions in the suburbs. The pigeons are about the same, but Giselle trades the rats and roaches for deer, raccoons, and skunks. We’d call that an upgrade other than the skunk part… unless its name is Flower.

“Disenchanted” provides a bit more backstory for Giselle, revealing that she was found in the woods and raised by the animals. That explains why she lived in a literal treehouse. When Morgan ventures to Andalasia to reverse Giselle’s wish, she finally gets to see her mother’s treehouse upfront. The house looks almost exactly the same, although there are several cracks in the exterior, a few holes in the roof, and the vines could use some trimming. Maybe this is because the magic is being sucked out of Andalasia or maybe the property’s upkeep simply went downhill after Giselle left. We’re guessing that the animals still take up shelter there, but critters can only do so much housekeeping without someone to sing the “Happy Working Song.”

“Enchanted” naturally built up to a fairytale ball. So does “Disenchanted.” Well, technically it’s called a festival in the sequel, but that’s poisoned apples and oranges. The sequence still takes us back to the original film’s King and Queen’s Ball with chandeliers hanging above an assortment of well-dressed couples doing the waltz. However, this celebration has a few unique touches like a golden Ariel fountain in the background. You can also spot a dragon sculpture, calling Narissa’s transformation to mind. The party once again comes to an abrupt halt as Giselle confronts an evil queen. This time, though, there’s wickedness on both sides of the ballroom.

The original movie reversed the typical damsel in distress setup with Giselle having to rescue Robert from a dragon. With Giselle wishing for a fairytale life, Robert is finally given the chance to play dragon slayer. Even with Edward’s sword, monster hunting still isn’t Robert’s strong suit. Upon finding a fire-breathing beast, Robert vows to slay it as everyone else observes. Robert manages to humiliate himself twice before a young boy merely drops a boulder in front of the dragon’s lair. At least Robert somehow avoided getting third-degree burns. Dragon slaying might not be the profession for Robert, but he does get more to do during the climax as he helps stall the clock from striking midnight.

Stepmoms played a fundamental role in “Enchanted.” Shopping with Giselle, Morgan confides that she has reservations about Nancy becoming her stepmother. Giselle assures her that not all stepmoms are evil… unless they’re from a fairytale world like Queen Narissa. “Disenchanted” builds upon this theme with Giselle now being Morgan’s stepmom. While Morgan considers Giselle her mom, she begins to worry that she’s not as loved as her younger sibling. This is a relatable issue for many blended families, magic aside. That said, when magic does come into the mix, Giselle’s wish for a fairytale life turns her into a regular Lady Tremaine. This premise not only ties into the first film, but it showcases Amy Adams’ comedic range as she shifts from pure-hearted to wicked.

The first film’s soundtrack cleverly evolved along with the characters, having each song draw inspiration from a different Disney era. Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz return for “Disenchanted,” meaning more spontaneous musical numbers. While the songs are mostly original, they’re in the tradition of the Disney legacy like the first. Giselle receives another happy-go-lucky song entitled “Even More Enchanted.” When Giselle gets her fairytale life, inanimate objects come alive a la “Be Our Guest.” This franchise also finally delivers a villain song with Giselle and Malvina competing to see who can be “badder.” And yes, Idina Menzel’s singing chops are at last put to effective use. Menzel’s musical contributions got cut from “Enchanted” due to pacing, but the filmmakers officially made it up to her here.

Morgan’s relationship with her mother is encapsulated in her memory tree, which features a few photos from the first movie, including Robert and Giselle’s Central Park outing. When Morgan goes to Andalasia, the memory tree takes on a literal form with memories growing from the branches. “Enchanted” moments are given a hand-drawn makeover, such as Morgan getting out of the taxi to meet Giselle. You can spot other moments like Giselle’s pizza dinner with Robert, Giselle hugging Morgan, and Giselle swooning over her homemade prince. There are even moments that we didn’t get to see in the original film like Giselle and Robert’s wedding. Dialogue from the first film is heard as Giselle tears the memory tree. With that, the core memories are restored.