Wish

Released in theaters on November 22, 2023

Stream on Disney+

Runtime: 1 Hour 35 Minutes

Rated PG

In the kingdom of Rosas the citizens give up their wishes to be guarded and possibly granted by King Magnifico who is a powerful sorcerer. However, once they give up their wish, at the age of eighteen, it seems to have a negative impact on them. Like part of them is missing. Asha, who wants to see her 100 year old grandfather’s wish granted applies to be the new apprentice to the King. She soon discovers a plot that is keeping most wishes from being granted which leads her to wish upon a star and this star decides to pay her a visit.

Themes:

Family, wishing, magic, apprenticeship, royalty, family, not knowing, stealing, friendship, respect, gratitude, power, questioning, lying, hope, dreams, grief, loss, ego, diverse cultures, dreams, what makes us who we are, forgiveness, stars, losing your dream, traitors, selling out, honesty, and loyalty.

Morals - never give your wishes to someoen else and always try to do what it right, no matter what the odds.

Language:

The word “butt” is used once or twice. That is as bad as it gets.

Stuff to be aware of:

I watched this in the theater with an eleven, nine, six, and four year old and they all made it through with no issues. The villain’s eyes sometimes change color to a scary green and he uses a matching green magic. One character threatens to hurt multiple people, including his wife in which he holds a staff up to her neck. One male character says, “never trust a handsome face” in reference to another male character, but this seems to be played as a joke not to insinuate anything romantic.

Overall:

Disney is celebrating their 100th year anniversary, and this film is supposed to be a culmination of all the years of animation that came before. One of the biggest complaints I have read online is about the film’s animation. My understanding is that artists were trying to make the CGI look hand drawn. Honestly, I would have loved to see a new hand drawn Disney movie. While it doesn’t look terrible, it kind of has an unfinished feeling to it. I will say I like the animation style of Disney’s past CGI movies better.

The story itself is unique and plays into Disney’s history by using wishes at the core of it’s story, but it also shows how far Disney has come by using a female lead who is not a princess, or a damsel in distress. The main story surrounding giving up your wishes is a unique one and is executed well, however some of the “rules” of the kingdom and the world building doesn’t always make sense. What I mean is that would people really flock to this kingdom to give up part of themselves and why has no one noticed once you give up your wish it changes you.

My complaints aside, I enjoyed this movie a lot more than I expected. I think a few of the songs like This Wish and the villain song, This is the Thanks I Get?, could go on to become some of Disney’s classic songs, but I am not sure they will all be hits as big as Encanto’s soundtrack. This was a TON better than Disney’s last movie, Strange World (which I didn’t finish), but not as good as Encanto or Frozen 2.

There are a ton of Easter Eggs in this movie. Do Asha’s seven friends remind you of any one? The film starts with a story book like old Disney movies. I caught references to Snow White, Peter Pan, Cinderella, Zootopia, Beauty and the Beast, possibly Mary Poppins and more. Also, if you stay to the end of the credits there is a nice little Disney tribute, nothing like a Marvel end credit scene, but just a little tribute to Wish Upon a Star.