Every Kid Should Watch "Descendants"

"Descendants" (2015) takes everything you think about Disney characters and subverts it. Disney villains aren’t just evil, they’re also really bad parents. 

Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay are the kids of the villains, or VKs. When they have the once-in-a-lifetime chance to leave their excommunicated island and enter the Disney fairytale character-filled kingdom of Auardon, they have to choose whether to tread their own path or submit to the legacy of their parents. This lesson in self-discovery is well-presented and explored for the film’s intended Disney Channel audience (6-14 years old) from a female and male perspective. The rejection the VKs felt by their Auradon peers magnifies the coping nature of their scrappiness and how emotionless they must be to survive. The exile they experience will be a known feeling for many middle or high school viewers. 

The film is expertly paced, giving all the VKs a chance to rightfully shine and showing how their parental trauma has manifested into different insecurities and aspirations. The standout is lead Dove Cameron (Mal), whose agonizing portrayal of Maleficent’s daughter will leave you heartbroken and contemplative. Her relatable, agonizing desperation to prove herself to her mother and anxiety around her place in the world are potent in every line delivery. The pull between her desire for conditional maternal love and the experience of love for the first time without stipulations from her peers, specifically in a romantic context with Prince Ben, feels lived in. Her role in this film solidifies her status on Disney Channel Mount Rushmore as one of the greatest stars (especially from an acting perspective) to come from the network. Mal and Ben become an aspirational “IT” couple with many minute choices from Mitchell Hope that make the relationship feel established well before it begins. 

A well-deserved runner-up, though, is Booboo Stewart (Jay, Son of Jafar), who serves as an excellent role model for how positive transforming male aggression into camaraderie can be. His desperation to belong is subtle, but the satisfaction of his storyline as he realizes his potential is rewarding. This storyline feels even more impactful for a modern audience than it was ten years ago. Cameron Boyce (Carlos, Son of Cruella De Vil) feels underutilized for his talents, but doesn’t escape the film without expert delivery of many comedic one-liners. Sofia Carson (Evie, Daughter of the Evil Queen) has a fun role and nicely balances the roughness of Dove Cameron’s character in their moments together. She provides a welcome characterization of intelligence without the loss of femininity. All the parental characters, specifically the villains, are zanier than their original inspirations, but in the context of the film, it doesn't feel out of place. Besides, the real evil comes from their ability to inflict generations' worth of baggage and responsibility on their kids, not torturing princesses.

The soundtrack, while surprisingly short with just seven songs (including one reprise), is packed with fantastic numbers. The standout is "Evil Like Me," a duet between belting Broadway veteran Kristin Chenoweth and Dove Cameron. The song, Mal’s projected vision after seeing a statue of her mother in an Auradon museum, legitimizes the weight she feels to uphold her vision of evil. Mal’s ballad, "If Only," is a skillfully written song of her aforementioned emotional pull during a reverie on a date with Prince Ben. "Did I Mention" is an outlandish and hilarious moment, with an air of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" from "10 Things I Hate About You" that will surely be swoon-inducing to many young viewers. "Rotten to the Core" serves as a fantastic mission statement and opening number with appetizing production that works in many reprising contexts throughout the film.

The special effects are a bit outdated to the modern eye, but nothing that truly distracts from the quality of the story, or can’t be excused by a laugh. It is a Disney Channel movie, after all. 

The 2015 film, directed by Kenny Ortega, marked the end of a golden age for the Disney Channel original movie started with his "High School Musical" films. The lightning in a bottle that was created to still be producing sequels 10 years later speaks to the greatness of the series' beginning. The themes of identity, friendship, love (romantic, platonic, paternal), and lineage make "Descendants" a timeless and essential watch.