In classic Disney fashion, Wish features plenty of humor, drama, and of course, singing. This relatively short film centers around 17-year-old Asha (voiced by Ariana DeBose), who learns that the town’s king and sorcerer, Magnifico (Chris Pine), is hoarding villagers’ wishes. Magnifico deems some of the wishes too dangerous to grant, believing rebellion and revolts will occur if made true.
Asha herself makes a wish to the stars, hoping to help her family and friends. She receives an unexpected surprise in return, involving a talking goat (played by Alan Tudyk), a star, and the help of Queen Amaya. The movie follows Asha’s journey to discovering the importance of memories, hopes, and dreams along with the support of her family and friends.
Overall, I was initially unimpressed by the movie’s animation style. It seemed outdated and archaic compared to Disney’s past films such as Frozen or Moana. The story was presented in 3-D, but with a watercolor style that made it look 2-D, at least in my perspective. It took some time getting used to, but by the end I somewhat interpreted this decision as intentional. The film, like a majority of other Disney movies, does not take place in a modern day setting. Instead, it’s a small village that prospers under the leadership of a king and a queen. The setting is a remote island in the Mediterranean Sea, and you can feel the historical and geographical constructs the director of this movie wanted to portray through this specific animation style.
Would I have liked to see Disney’s original animated style in this movie? Yes. Do I think it was a smart move for Disney to have introduced a new and interesting design? Yes. Ultimately, I’d rate this movie a 7.5/10. I enjoyed the musical scenes (I definitely have the theme song stuck in my head) and thought that the moral of the story was sweet and thoughtful. In the end, it’s unity and collaboration that power over evil, and I think that’s a lesson everyone should take home with them.
I watched Wish with my older sister Therese, and she shared, “I think the character development of Asha was portrayed really well and although the animation aspect of the movie was a little off for me, I enjoyed all the musical scenes.”
Movie Times: click here for showtimes
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Run Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Director: Chris Buck & Fawn Veersaunthorn
Cast: Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine, Alan Tudyk
Rating: PG
