I really “Wish” I saw something else
2023 marked the 100-year anniversary of the Walt Disney Company, a massively important milestone to not only themselves, but to American culture as a whole. For a century, Disney and specifically Walt Disney Animation Studios has been at the forefront of innovative and creative cinema that works to challenge what came before. I criticize the company of Disney for many of their practices, but there is simply no denying the impact of their films. To celebrate their anniversary, Disney decided to create a brand new animated musical that would be the culmination of a century’s worth of art and magic. The film is called “Wish,” and the initial pitch is that it’s based on the universally famous “wishing star” featured in “Pinocchio,” a fitting choice, as the film’s central song is practically synonymous with Disney’s brand. So, how does the film that functions as a thesis for the entire Walt Disney Company’s run pan out? In short: not good.
Released on Nov. 22, “Wish” follows Asha, voiced by Ariana DeBose. She’s a quirky girl with an attitude to spare, and if that sounds generic, it is. Asha is far too bland of a character to follow, never really breaking away from the “adorkable” princess trope that modern Disney films have become all too comfortable using. I would describe the plot, but that is one of the film’s major pitfalls. Its story is far too complex and the time that they take to flesh out the world or set up any rules is minimal, resulting in an overall boring tale.
The important thing to know is that Chris Pine plays the villain, King Magnifico, a monarch who seeks dark magic to maintain his power over people’s wishes. Pine is having a good time playing the role, and is the strongest performance in the movie. However, the character himself is relatively milquetoast. For being the first true villain in a Disney movie since Mother Gothel from “Tangled,” King Magnifico does not really stand out as being particularly interesting or dastardly. He fails to have any true goals as an antagonist, which is embarrassing when contrasted with the likes of any of the Disney Renaissance villains, such as Ursula, Gaston or Scar. Each of those characters wanted something, and watching them find evil ways to get it was part of the fun. None of that is present here.
It is near impossible to overstate the importance that music has to any given Disney film. Having songs that people remember for ages is integral to the brand. So it truly baffles me as to why they chose to take the soundtrack of “Wish” in a pop-music direction, especially as it’s supposed to be the culminating film of 100 years of Disney, a company known for its lavish musical theater numbers. It would not be such a sin if not for the fact that there isn’t a good or even memorable song in the bunch. The opening song went through one ear and out the other, being quickly forgotten. The “I want”-style song is generic and has bad lyrics to boot. The villain song similarly suffers from “bad-lyrics-syndrome,” with the use of modern lingo being particularly egregious here. Overall, the music was probably the most disappointing aspect of the whole thing, killing my enjoyment everytime a song started.
What a waste, really. “Wish” should have and could have been one of the best Disney products in years. Everything was in the right place, but at the end of the day, the biggest problem with “Wish” is that it isn’t really about anything. Every other movie Disney has ever made has some kind of theme, whether it’s as simple as “tell the truth” or as complex as generational trauma. “Wish” is about Disney. It is a self-congratulatory film that feels less like a celebration of the studio, and more like Disney’s “Space Jam 2.” Do NOT get me started on that stupid talking goat.
