The Disney Original musical that took the world by storm almost a decade ago has come out with a 4th movie. Now, I'm not one to be too optimistic about movies beyond the third installment, but I felt as if this franchise is just too iconic to flop. Here are some of my favorite things (and hot takes) on the 4th movie.
Summarization
Now, before I get to the fun stuff, I'll give a little context on the movie. “Descendants: The Rise of Red” is a Disney Original film that was released on July 12th of this year. This is movie number 4 in the Descendants film franchise, hoping to prove itself timeless with the 10-year anniversary of the first movie rounding the corner.
Throughout the films, the descendants of popular Disney royalty and villains want to prove themselves time and time again of their worth and acceptance at the prestigious Auradon Prep. So in “The Rise of Red”, when the Queen of Hearts fires up a coup in Auradon, her daughter Red and Cinderella's daughter (Chloe) embark on a journey back in time to rewrite the history books.
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Get notified of top trending articles like this one every week! (we won't spam you)Two Words: Kylie. Cantrall.
Ok, so who was going to tell me that Miss Cantrall has been sprinkled everywhere throughout my favorite childhood shows and I didn't even know it? From starring in Gabby Duran and the Unsittables to appearances in Raven's Home, Cantrall has been devoted to Disney for her entire acting career. Can we also talk about how iconic she has been for, like, the entire press tour of The Rise of Red? Please give her the entire hair, makeup, and wardrobe team ‘cus every time I open my Instagram, she's serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between.
She also (along with the rest of the world right now) has been very open with her love for Charli XCX and her quintessential album, BRAT, explicitly stating in interviews that she and co-star Malia Baker are “brats”.
“We're brats.” wink!*

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90s Royalty Reigns Again
With Cinderella (the ORIGINAL, in my book) along with her foine husband, Prince Charming, Brandy and Paolo make the best celebrity movie cameo this year as the parents of Chloe Charming. I have to say, their little duet made me tear up a bit. Their vocal blend was on point and honestly, it's like nothing changed (literally, they haven't aged a day since '97). And trust me, the pair were just as excited to return as the iconic couple, Brandy expressing her joy in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
“We're so honored, so blessed, so excited. This is such a magical experience to be able to work with Paolo again, to waltz with him, to sing with him— all of it."
I Fear the Soundtrack… Ate???
There's always that one song on the Descendants soundtrack that stands the test of time, meaning that if you ever catch me humming “Queen of Mean” on a random Tuesday, mind your business. This movie performed no differently, already (arguably) having some of the best songs in the Descendants franchise. Here are some of my favorites.
- “Red” - Giving the viewers a peek into the everyday life of Red, I literally cannot think of a better opening number. It really pays homage to some of the older Descendants songs, as I was expecting a total rebrand from the older movies. The electric guitar is to die for, giving the perfect amount of edginess to the song and setting up the tone for the remainder of the film.
- “Life Is Sweeter” - This is such a cute dance number, especially when the VKs come out. I'm a sucker for big cast dance numbers, so I guess you could say this satisfied my “sweet” tooth.
- “Fight Of Our Lives” - This is, hands down, my absolute favorite Rise of Red song by a landslide. As soon I heard that catchy pop-rock chorus, it immediately got added to the playlist. To say that the music director went OFF on with the electric guitar moments is a total understatement. And don't even get me started on Red and Chloe's harmonies.
Cameron Boyce Tribute
Anyone who grew up watching Disney Channel in the 2010s is familiar with Cameron Boyce's work, playing the fawned-over character of Luke in Jessie and Bunk'd. As he was getting older, he would be cast as Cruella's son, Carlos, in the first three Descendants movies because the roles were more fitting for older teen/young adult roles. To our dismay, in July 2019, Boyce passed away in his sleep from a seizure. As many of Boyce's Descendants co-actors were traumatized by this sudden death, most of them did not return for the fourth movie.
However, in the movie, Uma confronts Fairy Godmother (Headmistress of Auradon Prep) about opening the school up for all to attend. After Fairy Godmother is dismissive about this idea, Uma reminds her and says that “it's what Carlos would have wanted” as she looks at the framed photo of Boyce's character hanging up on the wall. Y'all… INSTANT TEARS! The fact that they still honor his death even after it felt so, so long ago just proves that he made a lasting impact on the entire trajectory of that Disney Channel era.
Rita (and I cannot stress this enough) Ora
This pop-bop girlie just also just happens to be one of the most iconic Disney villains, like, ever. Miss Cantrall was quick to match our energy on the casting in an interview with People.
"It was so surreal getting to work with her. I mean, she's this pop star boss woman, so I think she was able to bring that aura to the Queen of Hearts character.
Ora also just happened to wear my favorite Rise of Red costume, which was that absolutely stunning red dress. Talk about dramatic, all from the way from the heart-shaped collar to the ridiculous satin dress, she definitely caused a Motherquake 9.0.
Descendants 5?
If you watched the film until the very end, Uma gives a clear indication of a 5th movie. Now, normally I would not root for a 5th movie, but that cliffhanger??? To be frank with you, there were so many moments in the movie that require more context/backstory it's not even funny. Hopefully, we can keep the “Descendants Flop-Free" trend going into the production of film number 5, even if that means I have to watch it as a student in college (which I will 1,000% do, by the way).