A Wish Unfulfilled? Reviewing Disney's Latest Animated Adventure

Make your wish genuine to your heart.

Wish is a 2023 Disney Animated film. The story follows the enchanting tale of Asha, a young girl with dreams that lead her to a magical kingdom, where she discovers the power of wishes. Upon her wish, she gets more of a direct answer than what she bargained for.

Who says we lose our Disney spark when we’re adults? Disney’s latest storytelling, Wish takes audiences on a magical journey filled with wonder. However, I am divided (with several other viewers) about the narrative direction and misaimed opportunity on the character focus.

Asha (Ariana DeBose) is your typical Disney protagonist. She is on a mission to find people’s wishes and make sure they come true. Asha is a bland character. She is basically Mirabel from Encanto with how clumsy and awkward she is. Honestly, just copy and paste Mirabel into Asha’s scenes and it wouldn’t change anything.

The movie could have taken a more daring approach by placing the spotlight on King Magnifico (Chris Pine). Magnifico is the most intriguing character. On one hand, his malevolent actions suggest the typical Disney villain, but on the other, there are hints of a more nuanced backstory. He is written as a misunderstood villain for some time until he abruptly becomes evil.

What if the story took place from King Magnifico and Queen Amaya’s (Angelique Cabral) perspective? They had an interesting dynamic. Queen Amaya should have been the one to explore the wishes while Asha remained as a minor character or even their daughter.

The characters aren’t interesting. They copy tropes and stereotypes we’ve already seen. Asha’s friends were irritating and lacked development - and a friendship! I did not feel a connection. Asha’s mother and her 100-year-old grandfather are hardly in the story. For a character of this age, Asha’s grandfather deserved a more beneficial part in the story.

Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn went over their heads due to Disney’s 100th anniversary. Wish spends more time referencing past Disney films instead of its own story. Disney is no stranger to experimenting with its narratives, however, the decision to maintain the conventional hero’s journey and explore Magnifico’s backstory is a missed opportunity!

As a result, some viewers are left wishing for a more conventional take on the classic Disney formula. In my opinion, it’s time to change things around. How are talking animals more exciting than a pivotal story? As a result, Valentino (Alan Tudyk) doesn’t do much when he is granted his wish to speak.

The animation has been another mixed bag. The animation is unique and matches a storybook. However, it looks rushed in some frames. The star was adorable but like most elements, it’s not used to its full potential.

The best songs in Wish are ‘This Wish’ and ‘This is the Thanks I Get.’ The songs are not as memorable compared to other Disney films. The kids in my theater didn’t have much interest in the film.

The final product is disappointing. Wish could have been the Disney film that branched out into new technical achievements and story routes, especially after 100 years of making films! Wish avoided taking daring approaches that Disney has never experimented on like making a villain the protagonist.

Wish still has signature moments like the climax where the community joins together. A wish is special. Then again, we’ve learned this lesson continuously over the last century.

Everyone has had mixed opinions on Disney’s latest film but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t see it. Take the kids and go see Wish in theaters.