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| Enchanted (Widescreen Edition) | 
 enlarge | Director: Kevin Lima
Actors: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Timothy Spall, Rachel Covey
Studio: Walt Disney Video
Category: DVD
List Price: $29.99
Buy New: $3.99
You Save: $26.00 (87%)
Buy New/Used/Collectible from $3.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  (329 reviews)
Sales Rank: 219
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dts Surround Sound, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD
Running Time: 107 minutes
Number Of Items: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.5 x 0.7
MPN: DISD52391D
UPC: 786936716061
EAN: 0786936716061
ASIN: B0011U52EC
Release Date: March 18, 2008
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Enchanted Less Than Enchanting December 16, 2007
5 out of 25 found this review helpful
This latest offering from Walt Disney Studios has much to recommend it and, if you happen to have a daughter still young enough to be your little princess, I think you're required to see it by Federal law. Just for the record, my 11-year-old princess loved this movie.
Still, I have to say I left the theater less than enchanted.
I won't waste your time explaining the plot, which has been extensively covered in all the previous reviews.
The first two-thirds of the movie really are charming. Amy Adams has an extraordinary voice and plays the wide-eyed Giselle perfectly. If Heidi Klum is a faultless, real-life Jessica Rabbit, then Amy Adams gives life to a multitude of Disney Princesses. There is an extended musical interlude that has Giselle overcoming the famous (or notorious) New York cynicism in a song and dance number that includes romancing senior citizens, a country-western street minstrel (which I think would have really been hilarious, and more authentic, if the movie could have included New York's celebrated "Naked Cowboy") a Reggae Band, Mariachi Band and about a thousand Rockettes dressed as Bride and Groom. It's really the best part of the movie (for fans of musicals) and it prompted applause from me, my family and our fellow theater-goers. James Marsden (of X-Men and Hairspray fame) is rapidly becoming to the 21st century what Val Kilmer was to the 80's. I personally think, like Val Kilmer, the depth of his talent is vastly underrated, though time may (I hope) prove me wrong. Marsden can sing, dance, and, when the script calls for it, actually act. Susan Sarandon is mostly only heard and even when seen is quickly CGI'ed into a large, though strangely un-threatening, dragon. That's too bad, because in her all-to-brief appearance as the in-the-flesh evil stepmother, she proves that she can still be a sexy vixen. But maybe that's just my age showing.
It was the resolution of the plot that disappointed me and, if I hadn't known better, it looked like the writers had to quickly end this movie and join the striking picket lines, abandoning several threads that could have made for a more interesting and honest ending.
At the risk of spoiling the ending (if you haven't seen the movie yet - stop reading now) let me explain.
Prince Edward has already ceded over to Robert (played by New York leading man stereotype Patrick Dempsey) the fact that he is not Giselle's "one true love." He's then betrayed by his stepmother, who then tries to kill everyone - and I do mean everyone.
When the evil Queen finally morphs into the dragon, she leaves the Prince's sword planted in the ballroom floor, seizes Robert and climbs to the top of a skyscraper roughly the size of the Empire State Building.
So who seizes the sword and saves Robert? Before you answer, consider: Prince Edward is the perfect representation of a Disney Prince. He's brave (he's spent almost his entire life capturing seven-story-tall ogres,) noble (he's just handed over the only love he's ever known to a total stranger in order to save her life,) and unafraid of taking action when the situation calls for it (forget stabbing a New York bus - he's just faced down his own mother and toppled her from the rule of Anadalusia.) Is such a man going to stand by while a mere wisp of a girl, one for whom he's sacrificed so much, takes on a gigantic dragon?
Not likely.
So I propose an alternative.
Giselle, seeing her One True Love in mortal danger, leaps forward and struggles to pull the sword from the ballroom floor. However, seeing as how it's been planted by a giant dragon, cannot set it free. Edward, obviously struggling with his own tragic circumstance, sees her and, mustering a lifetime of courage, casts aside concern for himself, gently pushes Giselle to one side, and effortlessly pulls the sword from the stone. Sorry - another Disney movie reference - Edward effortlessly pulls the sword from the floor.
He attacks the dragon but, despite his best efforts, is unable to overcome it alone. Robert, who up to this point has been a passive, almost metrosexual, bystander to the events that are determining his own life, is inspired by Edward's example. He overcomes his own fear and together, Edward and Robert, they defeat the dragon. A manly handshake ensues.
Edward presents Robert to Giselle, thus completing the bridge between the fantasy world of Andalusia and the gritty streets of Manhattan. Angie, Robert's theoretical fiancee (played by Samantha Ivers) is truly the under appreciated tragic figure in this story. However, she is swept away by the depth of Edwards courage, nobility, and romance. She rewards him with a kiss and they both discover that they are each other's One True Love.
Robert weds Giselle, Edward weds Angie, and the wicked queen's former toady, Nathaniel (played by Timothy Spall) goes on to be a best-selling author.
We, the audience, have now found a new respect for the characters of Edward, Robert and Angie. They've overcome their heartbreaking circumstances and grown. Real literary stuff.
I thought all that up while sitting in my seat watching the credits scroll up the screen.
So I wasn't entirely satisfied by the ending. "Enchanted" is still a good, though not great, movie and, as directed by my own 11-year-old-princess, I will buy it when it comes out on DVD.
 Enchanting Film for the Whole Family December 13, 2007
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
***1/2
"Enchanted", the new film from Disney, featuring a mix of live action and animation, is almost the perfect entertainment for your family this holiday season. A tongue-in-cheek look at the rich history of animation at the studio combines with an over-the-top live action musical set in New York to create a film just about everyone in your family should enjoy.
Giselle (Amy Adams, "Junebug") is the quintessential Disney heroine. She lives in a quaint cottage in the forest and sings to her animal friends as she dreams of the prince she will one day meet. As she dreams of this man, making a mannequin of him, Prince Edward (James Marsden, "X-Men"), the quintessential Disney hero, gallops through the forest hunting trolls, with his sidekick Nathaniel (Timothy Spall) close at hand. The two meet and this instantly causes the wicked Queen Narissa (Susan Sarandon), who is, you guessed it, the quintessential Disney villain, to become concerned she might lose control of her kingdom, Andalasia. As Edward's step-mother, she would lose her throne as soon as he marries his one true love. She disguises herself as an old crone and lures Giselle to a wishing well. The queen pushes the young lady in and Giselle falls through before finding herself in New York City. Soon, the Prince learns his one-true love is gone and follows her. In New York, Giselle meets Robert Phillip (Patrick Dempsey), a divorce attorney and single dad of Morgan (Rachel Covey). Morgan, is, of course, captivated by a real-life princess. (Disney Marketing Team alert: Add Giselle to the Disney Princess Line of merchandise!!!!) Robert is more skeptical. Giselle ends up staying with them as Robert tries to help her get back to her country. This makes his long-time fiancee, Nancy (Idina Menzel, Broadway's "Wicked") nervous about their relationship. Queen Narissa becomes concerned about Giselle's whereabouts and sends her henchman, Nathaniel back to New York as well. Unhappy with the progress, she soon decides to go to the Big Apple and take matters into her own hands.
Directed by Kevin Lima ("Tarzan"), "Enchanted" is a fun film to watch, but it isn't one of the best films you will ever see. Then again, it isn't one of the worst either. As the film progresses, the quality of the story and the acting become a little uneven, marring the quality a bit.
The film begins in the animated world of Andalasia. Everything in this portion of the film is pitch perfect. From our initial encounter with Giselle, as she sings to the animals in a very "Snow White" like sequence, to the first appearance of the incredibly handsome Prince Edward, who spends every waking moment hunting trolls, the tone and feel of classic Disney animation is captured and presented in a way to poke light fun at it. As soon as the two meet, they decide to marry. The next day. Giselle makes her own dress with the help of her forest friends and arrives in a very- Cinderella like coach. The animation is also very nice and compliments the tone of these segments very well. You almost forget the film will soon thrust us into modern-day New York, leaving this world behind.
As soon as Giselle arrives in Times Square, she takes on the looks of Amy Adams. Adams appeared in "June Bug", an independent film released a few years ago. In that film, a very pregnant Adams stole the show as Benjamin McKenzie's (who? He was the star of TV's "The O.C.") pregnant wife. It was a delightful performance and she continues to show that quality in Giselle. As the princess-to-be stuck in New York, she has a wide-eyed innocence perfectly capturing the naivety of an animated princess. Living in an insular world, she naturally assumes New York is just like Andalasia. She doesn't understand that it isn't and doesn't understand why it can't be, so she is determined to bring her Andalasia way of thinking to the mean, gritty streets of New York.
It is a funny, delightful and perfect performance for the role.
In New York, she meets Robert (Dempsey). As Robert is an adult living in the real world, he doesn't have the same misconceptions about life in New York and is very reluctant to enter Giselle's dream world. Robert eventually has enough of Giselle's fantasies, washes his hands of her, and sends her on her way in Central Park. He quickly realizes she will never make it on her own and rejoins her. As they walk through Central Park, Giselle quickly attracts a following and they break out into song, using the sounds and rhythms of New York, the group cavorts throughout the park. Throughout, Dempsey has to remain skeptical, but at the same time show some emotion, any emotion, to make his character human, so it is a strange performance. It is difficult to see the shades of gray (no pun intended) in his performance. He is either smitten with Giselle's innocence, or determined to maintain his steely New York reserve.
Naturally, he has to, at some point fall in love with her. I think Dempsey and the filmmakers try to make this seem like a gradual thing by showing us the two sides to this character, flipping back and forth between them. But this only serves to make his character seem a little uninteresting. Because these are the only two facets to his character, we need more to make him seem more human.
It doesn't help that Robert is in a relationship with Nancy (Idina Menzel). I think the filmmakers are trying to portray their relationship as "modern" - they have been together seven years, yet never married. But Nancy just puts up with it, until she finds Giselle in Robert's arms. Her character just isn't interesting enough to hold our interest.
James Marsden plays Prince Edward and he is pretty much pitch perfect as well. In the animated sequences, Edward is the type of blowhard nincompoop you would expect in a Disney film - think Gaston in "Beauty and the Beast". Edward is very nice, but full of himself. When he meets Giselle, per fairy tale law, they immediately decide to marry the next day. They have, after all, met "True Love's Kiss", which is the name of the song they each sing separately leading them to meet. When Edward follows Giselle to New York, to bring her home, his attitude doesn't change at all, but his environment does. He is now in New York City and has to deal with all that entails. But, much like Giselle, he doesn't understand why this place is different. And decides it can't be, so he just shrugs off the temporary setbacks he experiences.
In New York, Edward is even more of a nincompoop and has to stumble upon his love in order to find her. Pip, Giselle's sidekick, a talking chipmunk follows Edward to New York to help him find the princess. In the real world, he can no longer talk and becomes amazed that he has to lead the Prince by the hand to find his one true love.
But the Queen also sends her henchman, Nathaniel (Timothy Spall) to New York. He must do everything he can to stop them from reuniting. When Nathaniel realizes Chip might actually tell Edward where Giselle is, he also tries to subdue the chipmunk.
"Enchanted" starts to unravel towards the end of the film. Susan Sarandon plays Queen Narissa, and during the animated sequences, she is quite good, playing a variation on "Snow White"'s wicked queen, complete with poison apples. But her big moment, during the finale is a bit lackluster. This is no fault of Sarandon's, who is a great actress, but rather the writer and director. When you would expect her to start pulling every magic trick out of her hat, she is rather simply subdued. But then again, this is only the prelude for the real finale. This is, in and of itself a problem. Because the finale starts of slow and then ramps up to another big moment, it just seems to go on forever.
"Enchanted" is a lot of fun, and has a lot going for it. It is the perfect film for family holiday viewing. Will it become a classic? No. But it will help provide some fun entertainment during an otherwise stressful time of year.
 "Once upon a time..." December 12, 2007
11 out of 12 found this review helpful
I absolutely adored this movie, and I can't believe the Walt Disney company actually made it! "Enchanted" is a hilarious film in which a classic Disney fairytale collides with modern-day New York City. Prince Edward meets his true love, Giselle, in the fairytale world of Andalasia. Unfortunately, the prince's wicked stepmother doesn't want him to get married because she will forced up to give up her position as queen. Evil Queen Narissa pushes Giselle down a magical wishing well, and the poor princess-to-be ends up in a New York City sewer (where she also ceases to be animated).
Needless to say, Giselle (Amy Adams) and her fairytale mentality don't mesh well with the big city lifestyle. Fortunately, she runs into Robert (Patrick Dempsey), a kindhearted lawyer whose young daughter convinces him to lend Giselle a helping hand. Robert's kindness ends up causing a major rift between him and his girlfriend (Idina Menzel), and when Price Edward (James Marsden) finally arrives in the Big Apple to rescue his true love, Giselle realizes that her "happily ever after" story isn't all it's cracked up to be, and her heart may actually belong to someone else.
This is a fantastic film that celebrates (and slightly satirizes) many classic Disney animated films, especially "Snow White" and "Sleeping Beauty." It's such a clever film, and the concept of fairytale characters walking around New York City in the year 2007 is every bit as funny to watch on-screen as you can possibly imagine. I really enjoyed the twist with Giselle's happily ever after ending, which I didn't see coming at first but suited the film perfectly. "Enchanted" also benefits from an outstanding cast. Dempsey and Marsden are excellent, and Susan Sarandon delivers an entertaining performance in the role of Queen Narissa (although I wish she'd been given a bit more screen time). However, this movie belongs to Amy Adams, who is absolutely brilliant and deserves an Academy Award nomination for her performance. She is amazing!
Overall, "Enchanted" is a very enchanting movie that deserves a place of honor in the Disney vault! Children and adults will adore this film.
Enchanting December 10, 2007
6 out of 8 found this review helpful
This movie proves that Disney doesn't take itself too seriously, at least not all the time.
I'm sure you've seen a bunch of those movies, all vaguely the same, with some beautiful princess and some dashing prince. They seek each other out for True Love, overcoming great hardships through derring-do and gratuitous bursts of song. What the True Lovers lack in the way of everyday pragmatics, they more than make up for impractical clothing.
Now dump that ethereal belief in frilly gowns and eternal romance into the rain-soaked lap of a New York divorce lawyer. The hope of eternal passion should simply die under the legal eye of a man whose job is to end marriages, and its corpse get trampled into the city's grunge. Instead, we see a spectacular satire on the Disney themes. Even the princess's magical command of the woodland animals translates neatly into the world of urban pests, complete with a song routine that I could scarcely hear over my own laughing.
Young kids might enjoy this. It features plenty of broad comedy, and most of the dangers seem mild and story-bookish enough that they're not truly threatening. There's something here for the slightly more sophisticated tweenager, too. Most inmportantly, its offers enough cleverness to reward the adult who pays for the kids to see it.
-- wiredweird
Very charming! December 5, 2007
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
This is a delightfully silly and fun movie. Be sure to start watching it with an open, childish readiness. It requires its viewer to give in to the almost saccharine mood...but it rewards the willingness to go along for the ride.
ENCHANTED starts in animated form, and it begins the story of a young girl who is a mix of Snow White and Sleeping Beauty (when they were both awake)...a typical Disney princess, in fact, even down to living in a large tree and being helped in all her daily tasks by the many creatures in the woods. She pines for a handsome prince, and amazingly, one is just about to discover her...through her singing, of course. The jealous queen flies into a rage, and her machinations basically cause a tunnel to open, one that pushes the princess through to OUR modern New York City...right in the heart of Times Square, in fact. The movie turns glowingly "real life" at that point, and we now get to enjoy the "fish out of water" story of an enchanted princess, and see how she gets on in our world.
Now the princess looks a lot like the spunky and endearing Amy Adams (JUNEBUG)! She is confused and somewhat dazzled by all she sees, but also clearly expects someone to simply come to her rescue at any moment. That rescue comes very reluctantly in the form of attorney Patrick Dempsey, who along with his cute little daughter, takes Adams home to get her in from the cold. Will she end up staying longer than one night? Will the tightly wound Dempsey loosen up with the this lovely and beguiling girl's help? What do you think?
Into our world soon comes the prince (James Marsden) and he's so much fun. He's totally clueless, completely in love with himself and the IDEA of being in love with Adams and he's brave, clumsy, dashing, silly, conceited and good-hearted all in one. He's not the villian of the piece, he's the comic relief. His assistant has come along (Timothy Spall) and that slimy individual is really working for the wicked queen...with the idea of perhaps killing the princess. Certainly can't have the two falling in love.
And that's most of the film. It's the details that make it so much fun. There are simply wonderful scenes, such as when Adams enlists the help of the local fauna to clean up the apartment (who would have thought rats and roaches made such good custodians!?). There's a perfectly Disney kind of song to go with the scene...but seeing it in "real" life just adds a element of delight...you'll find yourself smiling throughout. Another very ambitious production number takes place in Central Park, and it hearkens back to the grand old days of movie musicals such as SOUND OF MUSIC or MARY POPPINS...when the WHOLE TOWN seemed to take part in the number and a classic crane shot is all that will work to take in the entire sweeping panorama.
Smaller touches such as how Adams gets her first few dresses, or seeing Marsden discovering television are fun. Frankly, the whole movie, even when you see every plot twist coming, is a treat. It is quite sincere...it never makes the kinds of inside jokes that make the Shrek movies, for example. It is never too cloying, but it isn't afraid to be grandly romantic.
None of that would work if it weren't for the stellar Adams. She is a comedic, musical and romantic dynamo...and I think this film makes her a star. She's nicely paired with Dempsey, who we can enjoy watching thaw. Marsden is also sincere and funny. His character has a good heart, and when he finds HIS true love...that's a great little moment too.
To me, the primary weakness is the villians. Spall is just generically nasty...almost like a rat come life...but he's such a bufoon that we never truly fear him or really give him much thought at all. Susan Sarandon plays the witch who must finally come to earth herself to take care of business...and everything about the portrayal is generic. Her costumes, her lines, her special effects. It's as though the movie wanted to combine all Disney wicked witches into one, and they ended up with an unscary generic witch. The movie never really gives you a sense of any peril.
But that doesn't detract too much from the fun and frivolity of this well-named film. Only the hardest hearts will not be enchanted.
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