At this point seeing an animated Bernie Sanders in a Disney film wouldn’t shock us.
The studio’s Leftward lurch, both in its battles with Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis and woke agenda, is Hollywood’s worst-kept secret.
It’s sent the mega studio into a fiscal tailspin and left apolitical fans wondering when the studio will rediscover that ol’ Disney magic.
“Wish” isn’t that moment. It occasionally soars thanks to buoyant musical numbers and animation that’s both classic and cutting edge. The film’s biggest surprise? The story asks viewers to make their dreams come true, sans government.
Really.
Rosas resident Asha (Ariana DeBose, solid) longs to serve as King Magnifico’s apprentice. And why not? The suave King, voiced with elan by Chris Pine, is a benevolent leader of Rosas whose signature move is making his subjects’ wishes come true.
Long live the King!
Except when Asha applies for the position she gets a peek at the man behind the throne. He controls the populace by hoarding their wishes, depicted as glowing blue spheres that float within the castle.
The fine print? Giving the King your wishes makes you forget all about them. And he’s particularly stingy when it comes to making them a reality.
That convinces Asha to storm the castle, or at least sneak in and grab her beloved Grandpa’s wish back before it’s too late. The old timer, voiced by Victor Garber, just turned 100, mind you.
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And she’s not alone in her quest. She wished upon a star (oh, the Disney Easter eggs you’ll find) and snagged an adorable star named Star to guide her way. Star is both cute and bland, a surprising combination from a studio known for clever sidekicks.
We do get a second stab on the sidekick front: Valentino, a talking goat given vocal gusto by Alan Tudyk.
Can we stop and say how weird, and complicated, this all seems? Simplicity matters, and there’s a lot of world building required to get things moving.
Even weirder? The story is a direct assault on Big Government and the quest for protection at all costs. Trust me, King Magnifico coos. I’ll keep you safe and happy. And stop all that dreaming. We’ll do it for you.
Sound familiar?
And, of course, he’ll keep their wishes at arm’s length. Maybe forever.
“Wish” starts strong and boasts several catchy musical numbers. DeBose voice is a perfect match for Disney princesses. The Mouse House’s animation team, which renders characters as vibrant as any studio ever could, remains unparalleled in their gifts.
The film blends hand-drawn characters with digital flourishes, creating a distinct look that’s easily digested.
Some sequences strain for whimsy and flat-out fail. Star transforms a gaggle of chickens into gargantuan foul to zero narrative effect (or laughs). Supporting players, like the local lad who’s as dull as a brick never comes to life.
Nor does Gabo (Harvey Guillen), Asha’s savvy confidante. Giving the great Tudyk so few funny lines here is darn near criminal.
What a missed opportunity.
RELATED: DISNEY GOT EXACTLY WHAT IT WANTED
It’s as if writers Jennifer Lee, Allison Moore and Chris Buck knew what a classic Disney film looks and sounds like but didn’t dig deeper into its creative DNA.
The saga packs plenty of on-screen diversity, but the woke lectures got left on the cutting room floor. Completely.
Conservatives will be stunned by the story’s core messages, but audiences of all ideological stripes will pine for a third act worthy of the Disney brand.
HiT or Miss: “Wish” offers a shockingly Libertarian message, but it can’t stand tall next to past Disney classics.
I think most people are completely missing the hidden messages in this movie. They go above the Disney drama…. Typing anything further would likely be a waste of time here but sending love and light to you all. I hope you find your purpose and share your light.
Why is everyone here so hung up on wokeness? Chill out.
Hahaha. “What’s wrong with you people? Everything you hold dear is being destroyed before your eyes as your country is destroyed from the inside. Chill out.”
Because Wokeness is a sickness and pervasive and a poisonous indoctrination of our children.
I would love for you to fully explore what woke means and how it impacts the culture. One shining example? The deeply unqualified Claudine Gay at Harvard. Woke is keeping her job safe, for now, because she checks enough identity boxes (Woke 101). She’s clearly unqualified and a serial plagiarist.
The politics makes no sense. The plot makes no sense. Wish will fail because it has no stakes that makes people care about it. The idea that a wish can somehow be taken and not fulfilled and that makes people not optimistic is a sad movie. It sort of explains why Disney is a fraction of what of it once was. Wish is Woke symbolism. You won’t get the entertainment you wish for because we got Woke. We will make you forget about entertainment that you once loved. The King decided what’s best for you is in the past locked up away and forgotten.
I don’t disagree. The trailer left me confused when I first saw the film and the movie itself never convinced me why this story should be told.
I would see it. When a studio makes an attempt at being neutral, or simply inoffensive, we should reward it.
There’s still a little too much stank on Disney for me to rush out and see anything from them for a while. Besides, my kids are all grown up now.
What’s happened with Disney just shows how rare true writing talent is, and how hard it is to find. I guess it was easy to take it for granted in the early days of Pixar. Now we’re really missing it.