Disney’s Wish is a celebration of 100 years of magic and wonder and after seeing it the little kid in me was very happy and could not hide the tears of joy this film brought.
Young Asha (Ariana DeBose) makes a wish so powerful that it’s answered by a cosmic force, a little ball of boundless energy called Star. With Star’s help, Asha must save her kingdom from King Magnifico (Chris Pine) and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen.
Walt Disney Animation has always been extraordinary and they know how to make things flow, capitalizing on their swollen budget and investing in making such engaging movements. Anatomical accuracy is captured well, with animals moving about in the correct form only straying to human dimensions in a small amount when needed. The animation flows and moves in a poetic style with a dynamic energy to match the magic being cast in the movie. The colors that accompany it start to feel like something out of Fantasia in terms of splendor and flow.
Animation relies heavily on the voice actors bringing the characters to life, and Disney once again manages to bring in stellar talent to tell this story. Alan Tudyk is no stranger to voice acting and is still as fun as ever. His versatility is incredible and he accomplished much with his direction making a baby goat have a smooth, velvety voice while delivering great lines to appeal to all ages. Chris Pine is great as the illustrious king – very poignant, charming, and exciting, and still holds hints of a rough nature. Ariana DeBose is just perfection as Asha with a sensational voice that shows control over emotion, pitch, and delivery.
I will admit that getting used to the animation design took a minute. It’s an odd style that combines hand-drawn and 3D animation styles creating a hybrid, almost cell-shaped game-like approach. It holds the smooth movements of a computer but with the color and energy of the original hand-drawn style. It’s a bold choice, but it works and makes things pop for all the styles integrated into this film
Disney has proven that can make a big soundtrack with catchy songs and Wish is another success. It’s one part rock opera and another part theatrical stage show and the film has plenty of that composer feel to it which is perhaps the more unique aspect of the film. The ballads are powerful and expressive of their desires, catchy and yet beautiful simultaneously. Other songs hold more engagement with their visual numbers than the songs alone. The result is another collection of good numbers that avid Disney music lovers will fall for and have on repeat for years to come.
Wish is probably heavier than other films, and is packed with a lot of things to teach lessons to motivate the audience to do great things. I appreciate the lessons and found that some of the other character arcs tried to tie into this to help push the story forward. Adding the theatrical music and animated drawings held such powerful control of emotions and accomplished the inspirational tone they were going for.
We can’t talk about this film without discussing The Star, which is by far one of my favorite little characters in the movie. For not saying anything, this little guy has a lot of heart and charm to it’s character. The emotion by far is some of the cutest aspects I’ve seen in a while and the most diverse of the group. The Star does so much with his little form – knitting, pranking, and somehow inspiring himself.
The movie is a huge homage to the history of the Walt Disney Company and Disney lovers are going to love finding all the references and inspiration in the film, with a few cameos sprinkled throughout. Even the credits pay homage to the magic and wonder of the studio, a stunning finish with a song helps add the ambiance to Disney fans. It also holds a weighted tribute to the man who started it all and it does soothe the heart and soul.
Overall, Wish had the magic and wonder that I was hoping for. The animation and design are beautiful and the voice acting helps bring some fun. The music was able to maximize the inspiration and give audiences the hope that dreams can come true. However, the story did feel a bit rushed but was still entertaining and engaging. This one you want to see in theaters though as the sound system does wonders for the music and the animation and I will happily watch this again and again.
Disney’s Wish is now playing in theaters.
What did you think of the movie? Let us know in the comments below.
