Some of Disney's modern films have used the same trope over and over again. The iconic studio has been churning out animated classics for over a century now, with new ones coming out every year. From Disney's timeless classics like Peter Pan and Cinderella to modern hits like Frozen and Moana, Disney movies have covered a vast assortment of topics and stories as they continue to entertain their audiences.
However, in recent years, it does feel as though the studio has become a bit more repetitive in its storytelling. It has become noticeable that several tropes seem to appear in just about every movie Disney has produced in the last decade or two. While these elements are likely included because they generally appeal to audiences, they can certainly cause the films to feel redundant if used too frequently. Whether viewers like them or not, these common tropes have come to be expected from practically every new film the studio puts out.
8 The Apparent Bad Guy Is A Fake Out
Used In Big Hero 6, Moana, Frozen
In recent years, Disney has seemed determined to keep audiences on their toes when it comes to the villains in their films. Many modern Disney features have introduced characters that appear to be the main antagonists, only to eventually reveal that they weren't a major threat after all. This trope may have been effective the first time around, but it certainly loses some of its impact when the audience has come to expect it. There is a valuable lesson to be learned about judging a character too soon, but the same lesson has been taught many times now.
What makes these three even more noteworthy is the fact that they were all released within the span of only four years.
Big Hero 6, Frozen, and the record-breaking franchise are all popular Disney films that feature this trope, although they are far from the only ones to do so. What makes these three even more noteworthy is the fact that they were all released within the span of only four years. Using the same trope so many times in such a short period is bound to make the audience rather tired of the idea. The fake-outs may be enjoyable when used sparingly, but they can easily cause the development and exploration of the real villain to feel incomplete.
7 The True Villain Is A Twist
Used In Wreck-It Ralph, Zootopia, Frozen
In tandem with the idea of the apparent villain being a fake-out, Disney has recently been relying heavily on keeping the identity of the actual villain a twist to the very end. Numerous animated films by the studio have waited until the dust seemed to be settled, only to reveal that a character who appeared friendly was actually an enemy all along. Moviegoers tend to love a good, well-executed plot twist, but they can easily lose their impact when the viewers have come to expect them.
10 Best Quotes From Wreck-It Ralph
Disney's animated classic Wreck-It Ralph turns 10 this year. To celebrate the movie's milestone anniversary, check out its best quotes.
Before the idea became far too common, keeping the villain's identity a secret was a very effective device for Disney. In Frozen, the reveal that Hans was the true antagonist came as a massive shock to many, and its careful execution helped increase the quality of the film as a whole. Unfortunately, subsequent films kept attempting to copy the same idea, resulting in a major "too much of a good thing" issue. If Disney wants the twists in their films to be more effective, they have to learn to use them more sparingly.
6 Themes About Family Trauma
Used In Encanto, Strange World
Generational trauma has become a hot topic in modern animated films. In simple , family (or generational) trauma is the idea of psychological distress (typically the result of a major event) being ed on from one generation of a family to the next, resulting in a collective unease surrounding a specific topic. Many modern Disney films have taken it upon themselves to explore this idea, and to characters who stand up against the issues that have been plaguing their families.
Recent films like Encanto and Strange World have centered their entire plots around family trauma, forcing characters from different generations of the same family to confront each other about their opposing perspectives on a topic. If Pixar is to be included in the discussion, plenty of their films have dived deep into the concept as well, including Coco and Turning Red in particular. While many of these attempts have managed to offer interesting perspectives on generational trauma, many viewers would prefer that Disney begin branching out a bit more.
5 Self-Sacrifice Saves The Day
Used In Tangled, Frozen, Big Hero 6, Moana 2
Since the early days of the studio, Disney has loved showing off the heroism of their main characters. However, in their modern movies, heroism seems to be demonstrated the same way over and over. Several of Disney's recent animated movies, such as Tangled and Frozen, have all culminated in a main character performing a selfless act of self-sacrifice. Acts like these can be beautiful and inspiring when done properly, but a couple of glaring issues have reduced their impact lately.
One major problem is that the sacrifices seldom last more than a few minutes before the character is somehow brought back to life.
While this does allow for a happy, family-friendly ending, it largely erases the importance of the self-sacrificial act by taking away any lasting consequences. Another issue, as is the case with most tropes, is that the audience has simply become too accustomed to seeing how the situation plays out. Disney's acts of self-sacrifice become less heroic when they happen in every movie, and never have lasting effects.
4 Major Lore Dumps
Used In Zootopia, Frozen 2, Wish, Moana 2
Part of what audiences love the most about Disney's animated movies are the dazzling worlds they create. Places like the bustling city of Zootopia and the majestic kingdom of Arendelle offer captivating realms for the characters to explore as they go about their adventures. Unfortunately, while Disney has succeeded in inventing these wondrous places, their recent films have struggled to find smooth ways to tell their viewers about them. Many of Disney's modern movies have relied far too heavily on excessive lore dumps, bluntly piling on background information in scenes that serve no real purpose otherwise.
To keep the audience more invested, Disney needs to find some more subtle ways to reveal the realities of the worlds they create.
Disney has attempted to use various creative strategies to explain the lore of their worlds, such as the children's play in Zootopia and the vision sequence in Moana 2, but these scenes still end up feeling far too exposition-heavy to really be effective. To keep the audience more invested, Disney needs to find some more subtle ways to reveal the realities of the worlds they create. After all, they have already done the hard part of inventing the world. Now, they just need to let them speak for themselves.
3 Sidekicks Purely For Comic Relief
Seen In Tangled, Frozen, Moana, Wish
Some tropes began decades ago and still remain present in some of Disney's most recent works. One such trope is the hero's sidekick who exists only for the sake of getting a laugh every so often. These characters have existed for many years, even popping up in early films like Cinderella. Although some examples, like Abu from Aladdin and Mushu from Mulan, do genuinely add to both the narrative and the overall appeal of their movies, many modern ones just feel like they were added only to check off another box.
Even beloved films like Tangled and Frozen fall victim to this trope, throwing in characters that serve practically zero narrative purpose. Despite their lack of necessity, some of these characters still manage to achieve the goal of making the audience laugh. However, it remains unfortunate that they were never given any other duty within the film, often having no backstory and simply proceeding to blindly follow the main character along on their adventure.
2 The Cute-But-Dangerous Character
Used In Zootopia, Moana, Raya And The Last Dragon
Disney is not the only animation studio to be frequently employing the cute-but-dangerous character trope lately, but it is certainly no exception. Numerous animated films have all used the same formula to make the same joke; a new character is introduced, seeming adorable and harmless at first, but then quickly turning things around and revealing a much more intimidating side. It may have been a humorous gag the first time around, but it becomes more expected and less enjoyable for the audience each time it appears.
Some modern examples of this trope include Finnick in Zootopia and the Kakamora in Moana. Finnick first appears to be an adorable baby fox, but soon reveals himself to be Nick's fully-grown partner in crime. Similarly, in Moana, the Kakamora first look like harmless coconut creatures, before quickly donning war paint and launching a violent attack on the main characters. While the trope will still get a laugh out of some, many viewers have grown very tired of seeing it over and over.
1 Happily Ever After
Used In Practically Every Modern Disney Movie
It is not difficult to understand why all Disney movies have a happy ending for the main characters. For generations, audiences have loved Disney films for their family-friendly stories and uplifting messages, not to mention that after all the hardships, the hero can look forward to some kind of reprieve at the end of the story. Nevertheless, one cannot deny having a happy ending is a clear trope for Disney, with just about every single one of the studio's animated films coming to a positive conclusion.
From Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs all the way to Moana 2, viewers have known that the heroes are going to emerge triumphant in one way or another. This trope is not necessarily bad, as it allows for every film to maintain a lighthearted feeling, but it can start to feel unrealistic when the happy endings don't feel as though they were properly earned. If Disney is determined to keep ending every one of their films on a positive note, they need to make sure that these endings happen logically and deservedly, not just because people expect it.
