★★★ (out of 5)
Disney’s newest animated film, made to commemorate the company’s 100th anniversary, is a charming film that reminds its audience what makes Disney so special — and that Wish doesn’t have that magic. The film is definitely enjoyable, but not the landmark it’s trying to be. It seems to exist only to remind you of better Disney animated movies. Its whole story is based on Disney easter eggs that — while fun — make the film feel hollow. And I didn’t even hate the movie, it’s not terrible by any means and is actually quite likeable - I just wish it was more. I wish I could have come out saying we have a new Disney classic, with gorgeous animation, loveable characters, and memorable songs. Truthfully, I don’t think we got any of that with Wish. I never felt any heart as the movie was lacking the emotional resonance that Disney Animation is best known for. It has the plot of a classic Disney fairytale and none of the soul. The story was predictable and the characters all seemed to be developed based on traits of other popular Disney characters. Again, it’s not a bad movie per se, but the film's arbitrary world-building, unappealing animation, and bland protagonist make this a forgettable watch.
Usually, I can come out of a Disney movie and at least say the animation was gorgeous… but here… I didn’t love it. I thought the combination of the 3D CGI animation of recent Disney movies with the more classic, hand-drawn, watercolour style was an interesting idea that just didn’t work. And yes, it did look like you were entering a storybook at times but at others it just looked…iffy. I get what they were going for, with an optimistic attempt to uncover innovation with tradition, and I appreciate the risk. Yet, it yields a flickering result. They should have just either continued with the 3D style (which usually looks gorgeous) or gone back to the old style of their classic films completely, as this hybrid style felt a little cheap and gimmicky.
And the songs… while they aren’t bad (“This Wish” is quite excellent) they are nowhere near the caliber of other Disney musical songs. Why? Well because Disney hired someone who had never written a musical before… they hired a pop artist. In some cases this would work… but personally, I think it would have turned out better if they brought in the Frozen songwriters or even Lin-Manuel Miranda who killed it with Moana and Encanto. Artists who know how to structure a musical and write songs that convey so much story, character, and emotion in just a few lines. As an example… I bet we all know the songs “Let it Go” or “You’re Welcome”… but I doubt anyone will be singing “This Wish”, or “This is the Thanks I Get” years down the line.
Still, it's an enjoyable, charming movie! I cannot understate that! Despite all its flaws, it’s still infectiously likeable… just not loveable. It is not a terrible movie by any means, just not a fantastic one! Ariana DeBose’s stunning voice and Chris Pine’s wicked performance give it necessary life and its tale of societal resistance against a selfish ruler is admirable. But it’s just not as fresh or exciting as it wishes to be. Those easter eggs were fun though… Wish definitely is one of the most “Disney” movies ever made.
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