Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- None
- witty
- upbeat
- tuneful
- family movie night
- lazy weekend
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film to be a playful, catchy, well-cast Disney musical romp despite its flimsy story.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Mal, Evie, Carlos, and Jay inherit the identities of Disney villains while attending school alongside the heroes' children.
The villain descendants must decide whether their parents' reputations determine who they become.
Auradon Prep, teen protagonists, catchy songs, and fairy-tale magic combine into a Disney Channel musical aimed at younger viewers.
Auradon brings together the descendants of Disney heroes and villains in one contemporary fairy-tale society.
Films like Descendants, and why
High School Musical
shares a disney-branded teen musical format, school setting, coming-of-age themes, and upbeat fantasy comedy
Into the Woods
shares a modernized fairy-tale world, young protagonists, musical storytelling, and playful family-friendly fantasy
Teen Beach Movie
shares a teen-oriented musical adventure with magical elements, ensemble friendships, and a feel-good tone
Enchanted
shares a comic revision of familiar fairy-tale characters, family accessibility, and themes of identity and redemption
Movie Details
- Director
- Kenny Ortega
- Release Date
- 2015-07-31
- Runtime
- 112 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (2585)
Cast
- Dove Cameron
- Sofia Carson
- Cameron Boyce
- Booboo Stewart
- Brenna D'Amico
- Mitchell Hope
- Sarah Jeffery
- Jedidiah Goodacre
- Zachary Gibson
- Dianne Doan
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Hulu, Disney Plus, fuboTV, DisneyNOW
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Descendants about?
- Teen descendants of Disney villains enter a privileged fairy-tale kingdom and discover that their inherited reputations do not have to dictate their futures.
- What is Descendants like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Descendants as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Descendants violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Descendants.
- What did critics think of Descendants?
- Critics broadly found the film to be a playful, catchy, well-cast Disney musical romp despite its flimsy story.
- Which films are like Descendants?
- Films with a similar feel include High School Musical, Into the Woods, Teen Beach Movie, and Enchanted.
- How long is Descendants?
- Descendants runs 112 minutes.
- Where can I watch Descendants?
- In United States, Descendants streams on Hulu, Disney Plus, fuboTV, DisneyNOW.
