Wish (2023) Review!!

Synopsis – Wish will follow a young girl named Asha who wishes on a star and gets a more direct answer than she bargained for when a trouble-making star comes down from the sky to join her.

My Take – In a surprising turn of events, Disney, a studio known for its decade’s old impeccable animation track record has been seeing some major blips in recent times, as their features, despite mostly receiving critical acclaim, have struggled to connect with the masses. With Strange World (2022) outright becoming one of the biggest box-office bombs of all time.

Their latest, directed by veteran Chris Buck (Tarzan) and Fawn Veerasunthorn (a former animator directing for the first time), comes at a point where it acts as a tribute to Disney on completing 100 magical years of turning animation into legacy. And while it is indeed enjoyable, for a one time watch, it sadly doesn’t measure up to those that came before.

Positioned as an old-fashioned fairytale, the dizzying potential of a wish coming true has been a recurring theme within the Magic Kingdom since the very beginning and basing a new adventure on that concept, is a great albeit desperate idea. But though the film succeeds in delivering visually appealing animation, that blends CGI and hand-drawn techniques, and features some memorable music, there’s an occasional sense of hollowness, as if the magic is more manufactured than organic.

Sure, as a viewer, I do appreciate that the story isn’t based on a sequel, remake or an existing IP, with an aim to introduce new characters and settings. But the issue is that the narrative is way too similar to other stories and lacks the creativity, energy and charm of the Disney Renaissance and earlier eras of the studio.

Instead reading like a safe bet to please without actually grasping at anything that’s innovative. As a result, it is rendered more average than spectacular, only with a few moments where we are fully engaged emotionally.

The story follows Asha (voiced by Ariana DeBose), a 17-year-old tour guide who lives in the Kingdom of Rosas, under the rule of the handsome King Magnifico (voiced by Chris Pine), a sorcerer who has the ability to grant wishes. Alongside his consort Queen Amaya (voiced by Angelique Cabral), Magnifico aspires to transform his realm into an inviting utopia. And to do so at the age of 18, residents share their greatest wish with him and it then becomes his property, with the wisher losing all memory of what they once wanted.

Ceremonies then take place on a regular basis where a wish is picked out and granted. And since Asha’s grandfather (voiced by Victor Garber) is turning a 100-year-old she is hoping that he is finally next in line to have his greatest aspiration fulfilled. But while interviewing for the apprentice position, Asha learns that the king is not exactly as magnanimous as he portrays himself to be, and is not granting any wishes that, in any manner, would affect his unquestionable rule in the kingdom.

Heartbroken, she heads to her favorite spot in the jungle and makes a wish to the stars. Lo and behold, a wishing star actually comes down to help her in a mission to release her family’s wishes from Magnifico’s clutches.

The film attempts to pay homage to older Disney classics and all the ingredients are here. Lovable characters, a menacing, tongue-in cheek villain, cute animal sidekicks, and interesting concepts. There is a good chance that one would enjoy the fairly feel-good nature of the film, and the fun elements it brings in. After all, how can you really not enjoy a film that has a talking goat (voiced by Alan Tudyk), and a mischievous golden star? But as beautifully innovative and optimistic as the premise sounds, the execution leaves a lot to be desired.

After you know what and how Magnifico is up to, the developments keep getting consistently foreseeable. There’s an irredeemable bad guy here, which breaks from recent trends of Disney films that either eschew a villain entirely, or wait to reveal them in a last-minute twist. Magnifico (hoards other people’s fantasies. He does this for benevolent reasons that are hermetic and vague in the way only stories reverse-engineered to fit a high-concept premise can be.

Magnifico was traumatized by a war that wiped out his family, and for some reason, he believes stability will reign supreme if he excises people’s secret wishes from their psyches and imprisons those desires in floating bubbles. But like so much of the film, the king is made up of pieces from better features.

Even the intricacies of Asha’s transformation should have been explored more deeply, and the film’s ensemble cast, embody the qualities of Snow White’s seven dwarfs, while diverse and entertaining, may leave audiences yearning for more individual character arcs. The only solace amid the drab treatment is what Disney is known for animation and innocence.

With impeccable animation and the innocence attached to concepts and characters, it never forgets who it is mainly catering to. Co-directors Fawn Veerasunthorn and Chris Buck conceived the film as an homage to the vintage 2-D look of the hand-painted Walt Disney classics, and as a result, the backgrounds and scenic design have the stippled look of watercolors painted on rough canvas. And of course, no Disney animated film is complete without its musical enchantment, and the film delivers a soundtrack that, while not reaching expected heights, possesses its own moments of brilliance.

The songs by Dave Metzger, Julia Michaels, and Benjamin Rice may not produce a chart-topping hit, but they serve the narrative well. The standout musical number comes with Asha’s encounter with the silent Star. The empowerment song in the woods, although slightly muddled in storytelling, captures the playful and engaging spirit that is occasionally glimpsed in the film. Another group number towards the end adds a much-needed boost, providing a thematic closure to the characters’ journeys.

Voice performance wise, Ariana DeBose shines, infusing the character with infectious energy and a sense of purpose, while Chris Pine portrays Magnifico with charismatic malevolence. The supporting cast, including the likes Alan Tudyk, Angelique Cabral, Evan Peters, Natasha Rothwell, Ramy Youssef, Della Saba, Jennifer Kumiyama, Harvey Guillen, Niko Vargas, Jon Rudnitsky and Victor Garber adds layers of charm to the narrative. On the whole, ‘Wish’ is visually appealing experience that struggles to live up to the Disney standard.