“Descendants,” the Disney Channel action movie, dramatizes the lives of the descendants of iconic Disney villains. Princes, princesses, and more, who are set in a magical kingdom named Aurodon. The kids of the villains end up on the Isle of the Lost. Mal (Dove Cameron), the daughter of Malificent; Evie (Sofia Carson), daughter of the Evil Queen; Carlos (Cameron Boyce), son of Cruella de Ville and Jay (Booboo Stewart); the son of Jafar, are selected by Prince Ben (Mitchell Hope), son of Belle and Beast, as the four villain-kids who are to attend Auradon Prep.

While first resistant to attending, the four kids find that Auradon has special appeal for all of them. They grow to enjoy the kingdom and everything it has to offer.

The film was released in 2015, directed and choreographed by Kenny Ortega, a man whose legendary choreographing career has reached artists and movies familiar to many.

The movie is energetic, musical and charming. The relationship between Prince Ben and Mal is fun to follow along with Evie’s personal development with her education and morals is deeply endearing, making her journey feel as inspiring as it is heartwarming. Songs like “Did I Mention,” were so catchy they earned nearly 109 million streams on Spotify as of early September, 2025.

Looking back, “Descendants” (2015) feels nostalgic, as it recalls the enjoyment of watching the film and singing along to the songs when it first premiered.

Despite my enjoyment of the film, the technical details of the characters were definitely skewed. The circumstance of having all the Disney characters alive and together at the same time in the same region would not be possible from the details we get in the film. It combines different time periods, different regions, and altered storylines, but ultimately makes the film that much more intriguing to watch.

It would seem the general public agrees the film is amusing, catchy and entertaining, with the movie earning itself a 90% on the tomatometer, a rating system from the popular organization Rotten Tomatoes.

The movie runs quickly through its two-hour-long running time, building off peppy tunes and lovestruck stories, being sure to impress the younger crowd, and remaining nostalgic.

I recommend it not only for its imaginative plot and music, but also for the sense of nostalgia it now carries a decade later.