MickeyBlog Movie Review: Wish
In 1940, Pinocchio debuted in theaters and informed a wide-eyed audience of viewers how they could bring wishes to life.
Now, more than 80 years later, Walt Disney Animation has taken a more literal approach with its 62nd full-length theatrical release.
Image: Disney
Here’s a review of Wish, an imperfect film with a big heart.
The Story of Wish
Wish introduces us to the fictional town of Rosas, a thriving kingdom founded by a pair of refugees. Magnifico and his wife, Amaya, escaped a tragedy and created an oasis on a Mediterranean island.
Image: Disney
We quickly learn the reason why the kingdom has grown into such a seemingly perfect place to live.
At the age of 18, the newly adult residents of Rosas present their wishes to Magnifico during a formal ceremony.
Magnifico chooses one wish from a villager and brings it into reality.
Image: Disney
Why should one person possess the ability to determine the dreams of an entire kingdom? Good question.
In fact, a charming woman named Asha wonders the same thing. Her grandfather, Sabino, is about to turn 100.
Despite his lofty age, Sabino has yet to have his wish granted. Asha hopes that she can correct this oversight.
Image: Disney
Asha applies for a highly desired job as Magnifico’s intern. Let’s just say that as far as job interviews go, this one’s results are mixed.
Frustrated, Asha debates the ethics of Magnifico’s decision-making as ruler of Rosas.
Almost by accident, she makes a wish on a star, and any self-respecting Disney fan can guess what happens next.
Image: Disney
The most kawaii star ever illustrated soars down from the heavens and promptly prods Asha along a new path.
Thus, we have the classic Disney animation trope of a young woman versus a powerful villain.
The Lead Cast of Wish
Image: Disney
Ariana DeBose is a star. Let’s get that out of the way right now.
At the time of Wish’s release, she’s the reigning Academy Award winner in the category of Best Supporting Actress.
That’s the pinnacle of Hollywood wishes, and DeBose has already made hers come true.
Image: Disney
In Wish, DeBose flexes her artistic muscle in voicing a charming Disney heroine with a pure heart and selfless motivation.
More importantly, DeBose sings a lot. And it’s stunning. Her performance in a duet with Chris Pine, who portrays Magnifico, is an instant classic.
However, generations from now, people will still remember her for the signature song from the movie, This Wish.
Image: Disney
Whenever film critics discuss music connected to Disney, When You Wish Upon a Star often leads the list.
I applaud the bravado of DeBose and the songwriters for having the courage to try a modern wish song.
Image: Disney
Nobody could ever win that comparison against Disney history, but This Wish is a masterpiece I can easily envision anchoring a Disneyland nighttime fireworks presentation.
As for Pine, I’m pretty sure I’ve already decided to dress as Magnifico next Halloween. He embraces this role and gets the joke.
Image: Disney
Magnifico is a wrestling villain, someone with a handsome face but the darkest heart. He’s the perfect foil for the innocent, well-intended Asha.
Your enjoyment of the film will depend on how well you enjoy these two characters. For me, Magnifico is everything I want a Disney villain to be.
Other Wish Characters of Note
Image: Disney
I’m an Alan Tudyk superfan, and I have been since the first five minutes of the series premiere of Firefly.
As a Harley Quinn series evangelist, I’ve loved Tudyk’s recent work in voicing Clayface.
That’s relevant here because his work as a talking goat named Valentino uses an identical voice.
Image: Disney
There’s even a shark joke that seems like a Harley Quinn/King Shark reference.
Speaking of which, without spoiling, you’ll find a surprising number of homages to other Disney animated films and characters.
Some of these references are, well, bleak. Wish isn’t lacking for courage.
Image: Disney
Other examples are much gentler, though. For instance, Asha’s friends bear a distinct similarity with some other Disney characters from 1937. I’ll say no more.
Another character who stands out is Queen Amaya, as voiced by Angelique Cabral.
The story makes an interesting choice with Amaya, and Cabral makes it seem believable.
Finally, we have the unvoiced character of Star, the incarnation of Asha’s wish.
Folks, you’re gonna see Gifs, TikToks, and other viral videos of Star for the rest of your life. Just get used to it.
The animation team went all-in on creating the most adorable Disney character ever.
Photo: Disney
I find myself missing dialogue because I was so consumed by my compulsion to watch Star whenever it was onscreen.
Star embodies the best of Disney, and it’s the film content I want.
The Pros and Cons of Wish
Photo: Scott Gustin
My wife, a Disney superfan, left the theater and immediately said to me, “That was slight but lovely.”
I have to say something different since that was my TL:DR review of The Marvels. As usual, she’s right, though.
Photo: Disney
Over the past five years, Disney has produced six titles. Those are:
- Ralph Breaks the Internet
- Frozen II
- Raya and the Last Dragon
- Encanto
- Strange World
- Wish
I’d immediately rank Wish fourth on this list above Ralph Breaks the Internet and Strange World.
Photo: Disney
There’s a fairly sizable gap to the top three, though. Wish nails the musical euphoria of Encanto, but the story comes across as Disney’s Greatest Hits.
That’s a feature, not a bug. By the time the credits finish, you’ll realize that Wish doubles as a tribute to all the Disney stories you know by heart.
That’s also the problem, though. Since you know everything, it’ll feel paint-by-numbers at times.
Image: Disney
Yes, a couple of surprises occur, but there aren’t enough of them. Also, I actively dislike one of the biggest surprises. So, there’s that.
I must admit that the failure is mine because Wish caused me to invest emotionally in Star so much that any risk to it upset me.
Final Thoughts on Wish
Image: Disney
The underlying problem with Wish, at least to me, is that you can guess the story from any commercial.
You’ll find Wish comfortable, but it lacks the mystery and intrigue of Encanto, Raya and the Last Dragon, or Frozen II.
Image: Disney
Conversely, I didn’t love anything in any of those movies the way that I love Star, and Valentino is absolutely marvelous as a character, too.
Also, while I realize this will be a contrarian opinion, I like Asha even better than Mirabel, which is high praise, I know.
Image: Disney
In short, I really like the journey of Wish, predictable though it may be.
I do wish it’d moved away from Disney animation conventions a bit more, though.
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