Story
Asha (Ariana DeBose) discovers that her beloved King Magnifico (Chris Pine) is a fake, who is defrauding innocent people of Rosas, so she decides to take the law into her own hands. She is unaware that someone up there is watching.
Review
If you have ever been enchanted by any of Walt Disney’s previous animated fairy tales like ‘Snow White’, ‘Seven Dwarfs Beauty And The Beast’, ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘Frozen’, then this one called ‘Wish’ could safely be part of your favorite. ‘Wish’ directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn certainly isn’t as extravagant on screen as Frozen but does have moments of enchantment in it. Co-written by Jennifer Lee who wrote Frozen, this movie focuses on hope and its power in a simple way. The film, with Asha as its main character, aims to make a difference in young lives and rescue others from becoming lost souls by featuring a teenage girl who embodies typical Disney heroine attributes.
Asha rebels when she figures out that the emperor Magnifico has deceived the commoners by posing as their protector who would grant their desires even when they don’t need them only to find out later that he was pretending. She has set herself free from her 100-year-old grandpa Sabino (Victor Garber) and mother Sakina (Natasha Rothwell), only for life-transforming events to occur upon which a beautiful shiny star flies down from heaven to sprinkle magic over her existence.
Disney’s racially inclusive mixed bag presents us with a variety of characters, all considered family despite lacking apparent connections. However, the main underpinning factor is the tie through emotion, even though it may not be prominently displayed on screen. It doesn’t provide anything new or unforeseen about how the good and the evil are separated in a typical fairytale story. Not only the storytelling but also animation takes us back to basics. This is nostalgic for the watercolor storybook CG look using 3-D animation that blends with the watercolor style. The script moves along expectedly as well and amusement comes from those moments that bring forward either comic or magical scenes. Such instances include when Valentino, Asha’s very adorable pet goat suddenly turns into a talking wonder. Alan Tudyk makes his lines punchier and funnier.
‘Wish’ is a musical having songs to go with every plot twist and feeling. Of all the songs on the soundtrack, Chris Pine’s ‘This is the Thanks I Get’ stands out. It has an easy groove to it with some scathing lyrics said by a gluttonous-looking king who has no scruples and feels that he deserves everything.
Ariana DeBose’s voice gives life to seventeen-year-old Asha with its strength, confidence, and vulnerability combined together in harmony. However, it is Chris Pine whose voice brings out the malice of Magnifico much better than any other actor could have done it here. As an animated character itself little star above fails to impress yet accomplishes its mission.
So did Disney do anything more exciting for its hundredth anniversary other than give us a vanilla-flavoured fairy tale about hopes and wishes? Definitely yes but amidst all this complexity around us, ‘Wish’ reminds us of what truly matters – simple pleasures of life and never-ending faith in tomorrow.
Read Wish Review on Fmovies
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