A Reel Review: WISH

Walt Disney Animation Studios is celebrating its 100^th anniversary this year (read Reel Speak’s blog HERE). The famed studio that has enchanted us with Mickey, Simba, and Elsa is marking the event by doing what they do best: an animated film. They do so in the form of WISH. 

 

In the kingdom of Rosas, 17-year-old Asha (Ariana DeBose), auditions to be the apprentice of King Magnifico (Chris Pine); a powerful sorcerer who gathers wishes from the people and decides which ones to grant…or deny. When Asha disagrees with the King’s methods, she wishes upon a star…which drops out of the sky and becomes her companion. 

 

Directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn, WISH is a magical and enchanting film that feels right at home in Disney’s rich catalog of kingdoms, princesses, music, and childhood whimsy. When Asha’s new companion, a magical flying star, arrives at the kingdom, Magnifico sees it as a threat and looks to capture its power. This leads to some magical hijinks as Asha enlists her friends and family for help. Some wishes are granted across the kingdom, including animals suddenly being able to speak and other people’s true natures revealed. 

 

The plot is simple, but it is all held together by three strong elements. The first is the Disney nostalgia train. The film is peppered with and built on Disney’s history with characters, places, and objects inspired by their past films. Some of the references are really on the nose (a little too much in places), and others are very subtle and sneaky and can only be caught by the most educated in Disney lore. The second is the animation style which is a hybrid of Disney’s old hand-drawn animation and modern-day CGI. There is a new, yet familiar charm to it that works. And third, of course, is the music and songs which are spectacular. 

 

The voice-cast is very inspired, and everyone puts in their best. Ariana DeBose is a delight, and Chris Pine surprises as the King and does a decent job in singing. Alan Tudyk is a blast as always. 

 

WISH relies a lot on what has come before, and there is an argument to be made that without the easter-egg hunt, there wouldn’t be much of a film. But that would truly be missing the point of WISH: this is a celebration of Disney animation and all they have accomplished in the last 100 years. No other studio in history has earned the right to do a film like this, and on its own, it’s a wish come true. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it