After 15 long years, Disenchanted, the long-awaited sequel to Disney's hit fairy tale movie Enchanted, has finally hit Disney+, returning viewers to the magical world of Andalasia and its beloved characters.
Much like the original film, Disenchanted includes wall-to-wall original songs from composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. With a cast of phenomenal singers and musicians, Disenchanted features several can't-miss musical moments in its all-new songs.
"The Magic Of Andalasia"
Early in Disenchanted, the Philip family gets a visit from some old friends, the king and queen of Andalasia. Idina Menzel and James Marsden return as Nancy and Edward, offering a gift to their young goddaughter, Sofia, in the only way that Andalasians know how: through song.
"The Magic of Andalasia" is a fun song that highlights the differences between Andalasia and the real world. However, there isn't much to it, and it's over almost as soon as it begins, making little impact. While other songs from Enchanted found a way to remain in viewer's memories for years to come, "The Magic of Andalasia" won't.
"Fairy Tale Life"
After living in the real world for about a decade, Giselle finally begins to feel the pressures of a world lacking in magic. As her relationship with Morgan begins to deteriorate, Giselle sings a song wishing for a fairy tale life, which eventually leads her to make a wish using the magical wand that Edward and Nancy had given Sofia.
Although "Fairy Tale Life" is thematic and carries with it the terrific vocal performance of Amy Adams, it also feels somewhat jumbled and messy, a far cry from the precise and memorable lyrics from the original film. The song comes in two stages, both before Giselle's wish and after, yet neither portion feels particularly magical.
"Even More Enchanted"
After leaving their apartment in New York City and moving to the suburban town of Monroeville, the Philips are somewhat underwhelmed by their new living arrangements. In a desperate bid to liven their spirits, Giselle sings a song to her family about how their new lives will be "even more enchanted" than before. This song returns again at the end of the film, closing out the sequel with a familiar tune.
As the first full song in Disenchanted, "Even More Enchanted" attempts to bring viewers back into the magical world of its predecessor with promises of even more whimsy than before. However, if the first song in the film is any indicator, it becomes quite clear early on that Disenchanted's track list can't quite live up to the iconic music of the original Enchanted.
"Something Different This Year"
One of two songs cut from the final draft of Disenchanted features a duet between Morgan Philip and Tyrone Monroe, her primary love interest in the film. The song sees the two swap stories of their family life, while offering differing views on the change that a new year brings.
The demo version of "Something Different This Year," which is included in the Disenchanted original album, includes clean vocal performances from Gabriella Baldacchino and Kolton Stewart while simultaneously injecting some much-needed chemistry into their characters' relationship. It is truly a shame that this particular piece didn't make it into the final cut of the film, as it would have gone a long way in gaining the audience's in the burgeoning romance between Morgan and Tyrone.
"Perfect"
After the fairy tale curse sets in over Monroeville, the different characters react to their new world with an element of whimsical wonder. Morgan, in particularly, goes about her new surroundings as she sings a song of eager anticipation for the village-wide festival taking place later that night.
"Perfect" feels like an ongoing musical number in a Broadway production as the characters make their way through streets full of background singers and dancers. Morgan's performance at the end also proves to be quite enchanting, marking the first time that the audience has heard the character sing in the franchise.
"Hard Time For Heroes"
The second of two songs cut from the final version of Disenchanted is titled "Hard Time For Heroes." This deleted musical number would have followed Robert as he continued to search for new heroic endeavors and includes parodies of several well-known fairy tale heroes. The song also features vocal performances from Broadway stars Ann Harada, Michael McCory Rose, and the legendary James Monroe Iglehart.
"Hard Time For Heroes" helps justify Robert's surprisingly unimportant subplot in Disenchanted, making it all the more egregious that the song was cut from the film entirely. Moreover, to waste talent like the Tony Award-winning Iglehart, who is relegated to little more than an extended cameo in the film, seems like a gross oversight by the makers of Disenchanted, who missed out on what could have been a surprise hit song with "Hard Time For Heroes."
"Badder"
"Badder" is a duet between Amy Adams's Giselle and Maya Rudolph's Malvina Monroe as each of the two wicked characters attempt to prove that she is more evil than the other. The song touches on several well-known fairy tale cliches, also dropping the names of several iconic Disney villains after whom Giselle and Malvina have modeled themselves.
This number is surprisingly catchy, giving Adams and Rudolph a chance to shine as their villainous characters. Both actresses bring a delightfully captivating performance in this sequence in addition to terrific vocals. From beginning to end, "Badder" is one of the best songs on the Disenchanted soundtrack, finding itself to be far superior to any of the numbers that came before it in the film.
"Love Power"
After becoming stranded in Andalasia, Morgan reunited with Edward and Nancy, who help devise a plan to save their kingdom and Giselle. In an effort to motivate Morgan to become the hero, Nancy belts out the film's best new tune, a song that emphasizes the importance of love, and the power it has over the world. Menzel returns with a new rendition of the musical piece for the film's end credits, finishing Disenchanted off on a high note.
The song that seems to be getting the biggest push by Disney's marketing campaign for Disenchanted also happens to be the best in the film. It's hard to deny the magical quality of Idina Menzel's voice as she makes for up for not receiving a song in the original film. "Love Power" is catchy, emotional and euphoric, and it's the surest bet to become as iconic as any of the songs from the original Enchanted soundtrack.
