Wish (2023) Disney/Musical-Fantasy-Adventure RT: 92 minutes Rated PG (thematic elements, mild action) Director: Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn Screenplay: Jennifer Lee and Allison Moore Music: Dave Metzger (score), Julia Michaels (songs) and Benjamin Rice (songs) Cinematography: Rob Dressel (layout) and Adolph Lusinsky (lighting) Release date: November 22, 2023 (US) Cast: Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Alan Tudyk, Angelique Cabral, Victor Garber, Natasha Rothwell, Jennifer Kumiyama, Harvey Guillen, Niko Vargas, Evan Peters, Ramy Youssef, Jon Rudnitsky, Della Saba. Box Office: $64M (US)/$255M (World)
Rating: *** ½
I know it’s in fashion to hate on Disney these days. They ran both Star Wars and the MCU into the ground by way of oversaturation. Whoever thought releasing a new Star Wars every year was a good idea ought to have their head examined. They’ve had a rough go of it at the box office lately with less-than-magical animated offerings like Encanto, Lightyear, Strange World and Elemental, all of which underperformed. It makes me sad because Disney is such an essential part of childhood. Who hasn’t been enchanted by at least one of their classics? For me, it was 101 Dalmatians. I can still see spots before my eyes whenever I think of it.
I was starting to lose hope for the 100YO company built by Walt and Roy Disney. Could this be the end of the house that Mickey Mouse built? Okay, we know that’ll never happen, but let’s briefly pretend otherwise for the sake of dramatic effect. Thankfully, their latest movie Wish has swooped in to the rescue. I do believe we’re looking at a new animated Disney classic. Aside from a few modern touches (i.e. wokeness and inclusiveness), it hews closely to their movies of old with its storybook-like telling of a girl who wishes upon a star and finds the power that was in her all along. For 92 magical minutes, I was able to set aside my cynicism and be thoroughly delighted.
Directed by Chris Buck (Frozen) and Fawn Veerasunthorn (Frozen animator making her directorial debut), Wish takes place in the kingdom of Rosas, a seemingly Utopian place founded by King Magnifico (Pine, Wonder Woman), master of sorcery and holder of the wishes of his subjects. When a citizen of Rosas turns 18, he or she reveals their most heartfelt wish to the king who keeps them stored in a chamber in his castle which looms high above the city. He holds monthly ceremonies in which he chooses a single wish to be granted. It may sound like a good deal, but not all is as it seems. Is it ever?
Our plucky heroine, 17YO Asha (DeBose, West Side Story), is about to find out the horrible truth that sits behind the lie. She goes to Magnifico to interview for a position as his apprentice. Things go okay at first. Then she asks if he’d be willing to grant the wish of her grandfather Sabino (Garber, Godspell) who’s about to celebrate his 100th birthday. That’s when she learns what he’s really about. It turns out he never intends to grant most of the wishes, only the ones he decides aren’t “dangerous”. His true intention is to keep his subjects docile and obedient. Needless to say, Grandpa doesn’t get his wish (to create art) and Asha doesn’t get the job.
Unable to get anybody to believe her about their ruler, a distressed Asha runs off into the forest with her pet goat Valentino. She makes a wish upon a star which then drops from the sky and creates magic that rivals that of Magnifico. Star starts by giving voice to all the animals and plants in the forest including Valentino (Tudyk, Raya and the Last Dragon). This, of course, doesn’t go over well with Magnifico who sets about looking for a way to harness more power. This entails dabbling in black magic against the advice of his queen Amaya (Cabral, Life in Pieces).
Disney experienced a Renaissance in the early 90s starting with 1989’s The Little Mermaid. Regrettably, I didn’t see it at the cinema at that time. I did, however, go to see Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin during their initial releases. Even though I was in my 20s, I was positively enthralled. I experienced a similar feeling watching Wish. A combination of computer and traditional watercolor animation, it’s pleasing to the eyes and ears. In an age when Pixar-style animation is the new norm, it’s nice to see a bit of the old school stuff. Colorful and vibrant and teeming with life, it’s proof that traditional animation isn’t a lost art, not yet.
My love of musicals is one of the main reasons Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite Disney movies. The opening number “Belle” is still one of the biggest show-stoppers ever. There are some great numbers in Wish including “I’m a Star” which could very well be the film’s Oscar-nominated song. The movie’s seven original songs are the work of Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice. They may not be Alan Menken and Howard Ashman (RIP), but they’re good. Either way, I really enjoyed these sequences.
The voice talents do a great job, especially DeBose as Asha, an energetic sort who will do whatever it takes to protect the people she loves. It helps that she’s a gifted singer much like her West Side Story co-star Rachel Zegler also on screens this weekend in the Hunger Games prequel. Pine is a perfect choice for Magnifico, a despot who takes great delight in stifling the dreams of others. Any resemblance to current or recent world leaders is purely coincidental I’m sure. Tudyk just about steals the show as goat sidekick Valentino. Star, even though he doesn’t speak, is a bit of a scene-stealer too.
Speaking of fun supporting characters in Wish, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Asha’s seven friends who aid her in fighting the evil that is Magnifico. You don’t need a degree in Disney history to see that they resemble the seven dwarfs from Disney’s first full-length animated feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In fact, there are a lot of nods to other Disney movies strewn throughout Wish. Some will see it as a shameless promotion for their 100th anniversary; I think it’s kind of neat. I especially loved the illustrations of characters from their other animated films during the end credits. It’s actually quite beautiful. And don’t you dare miss the bonus post-credits scenes. It’ll bring a tear to your eye if you love Disney.
I really and truly wish for Wish to be a hit for Disney. It deserves to be. It’s a sweet and funny movie that can be enjoyed by families looking for good, mostly wholesome fun (there’s a butt joke). Here’s hoping that Disney has more like this in them, enough to get them through the next 100 years.
