Wish movie review: Never trust a handsome face

WISHES DO COME TRUE – In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Wish,” Asha (voice of Ariana DeBose) is a sharp-witted idealist who lives in Rosas—a kingdom where wishes really do come true. Helmed by Oscar®-winning director Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn, “Wish” features original songs by Grammy®-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer, songwriter and musician Benjamin Rice. The epic animated musical opens only in theaters on Nov. 22, 2023. © 2023 Disney. All Rights Reserved.
WISHES DO COME TRUE – In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Wish,” Asha (voice of Ariana DeBose) is a sharp-witted idealist who lives in Rosas—a kingdom where wishes really do come true. Helmed by Oscar®-winning director Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn, “Wish” features original songs by Grammy®-nominated singer/songwriter Julia Michaels and Grammy-winning producer, songwriter and musician Benjamin Rice. The epic animated musical opens only in theaters on Nov. 22, 2023. © 2023 Disney. All Rights Reserved. /
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One man sells a country on the idea that one day he will grant the people a wish. No, this isn’t the latest movie about crypto, but Disney’s new movie, Wish.

Asha’s (Ariana DeBose) grandfather is on the verge of turning one hundred years old, and she hopes that at tonight’s wish ceremony, Magnifico (Chris Pine) will grant his one wish. Before the ceremony, Asha is set to meet with Magnifico for a job interview to become his apprentice. However, the job interview opens her eyes to the idea that the entire structure of the country he has built is wrong for the people living there. As a result, Magnifico doesn’t grant Asha’s grandfather his wish, breaking her heart.

The chase for Asha is set in motion via a song where she wishes upon a star, and it comes to life, and the rest is history. Speaking of the songs, Wish is very much a musical that leans heavily into the songs to set the tone. Sadly, most of the songs fall flat, even though Debose’s powerful voice does shine regardless of how mediocre the songs are.

DeBose is moving as Asha, creating authentic and pure energy within the character. You care because she emphatically creates the magic within the character that allows you to want to see her flourish. Her character’s counterpart, Magnifico, is brought to life by Chris Pine, who manages to play the role in a way that oozes charisma and that genuine charm that he plays in all of his characters. These two are the lifesavers of this underwhelming adventure.

Like many films in the history of Disney Animation and Pixar films, we get quite a few references and even appearances of characters within the Disney universe that were a lot of fun. After the film was over the discussion amongst everyone sparked your urge to want to rewatch because you might’ve missed some of the characters. The animation style was unique here and struck gold with this gorgeous color palette that lit up beautifully, especially when the star came to life.

Wish is far from Disney’s best turn, but as the film took the shift into that mid-second to the third act, you felt a breath of fresh air brought into the film as a result of this magical star. With its bright and vibrant colors, delightful comedy from our goat named Valentino, and some fun performances from our leads, little girls will eat up Wish the moment it is released. For me, the star failed to light bright enough for me to consider it anything more than a passable watch.

Wish hits theaters on Nov. 22, 2023. 

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