Review | Wish movie review: Disney celebrates its 100th birthday with disappointing, self-congratulatory nod to its glory days
- Disney’s latest feature, which celebrates its centenary, is a fairly average affair, with forgettable songs and plenty of nods to its classic films
- A young girl, rudely dismissed by her king, meets a star who falls from the sky with magical powers to grant wishes
2.5/5 stars
This year, in case you hadn’t heard, Disney celebrates its 100th birthday. And as a present to itself, the animation giant has commissioned Wish – a film that celebrates that most Disney of themes: wish fulfilment.
Set in the Mediterranean kingdom of Rosas, it’s a world created by its king, a sorcery-proficient ruler named Magnifico (Chris Pine). He has captured everyone’s wishes, storing them in blue baubles in his kingdom, and doling them out very irregularly.
When young Asha (Ariana DeBose) visits the king to see if she can become his apprentice, she has one thing in mind. The latest wish ceremony coincides with her grandfather’s 100th birthday (how very Disney), and she would love for his heart’s desire to be granted.
However, when Magnifico discovers this involves creating something to inspire the next generation, he cruelly dismisses Asha from his presence.
Then, in the way only Disney can, Asha meets a star who falls from the sky – a bright yellow cutie who has magical powers to grant wishes. From there, our wholesome heroine encounters a menagerie of talking animals, including her pet goat Valentino (Alan Tudyk) when she takes a trip into the forest.