Wish
Disney’s latest animated effort, Wish, brings an original cast with a very familiar story line – A heroine looking to fulfill her destiny, a musical introduction to a new place, a cute animal best friend, some comedic sidekicks, a lot of magic, and an over-the-top villain. We have seen different versions of this story before from Disney and Wish does not stray far from that path. This time the story revolves around the town of Rosas which has allowed their King, Magnifico, to care for his people by having them simply sacrifice their 18th birthday wish which he may or may not grant at an annual festival. By relinquishing their wish, the citizens lose all memories of their wish which saves them from the burden of achieving their wish or disappointment from it not coming true. Enter Asha, our young female lead, who discovers that the King’s intentions may not be best for the people and decides that freeing the wishes of the people is the thing that must be done. Along with help from a magical wishing Star, her lovable goat, Valentino, and a batch of friends within the castle, the adventure ensues to free the wishes of Rosas.
Like most Disney originals, the movie is loaded with Broadway type musical numbers throughout the film. However, the songs are just not as catchy or memorable as the ballads from recent releases such as Frozen or Moana. The closest offering may be This Wish which may be belted by your children for the rest of the holiday season. Chris Pine plays the villain king, Magnifico, magnificently. However, I felt the cute little goat buddy, Valentino, was more enjoyable just bleating than he was talking once gifted a voice with a little magic from the magical Star. While this movie is being released on Thanksgiving weekend, it may have been better served at Easter because one of the best aspects of the movie is catching all the Disney references and Easter Eggs throughout the movie. You’ll see tributes to Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Frozen, Peter Pan, Mary Poppins, Pocahantas, Alice in Wonderland, Lion King and so many more. While some are a little more obvious like the reference to the 7 dwarfs, others you will have to use all your past Disney experiences to catch.
Wish is an enjoyable movie and likeable, but not one that will leave a lasting impression on viewers. While I liked the movie, I Wish I would have loved it.
7 out of 10
