Current:Home > Finance'Wish' movie review: Ariana DeBose is a powerhouse in a musical that owns its Disney-ness-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
'Wish' movie review: Ariana DeBose is a powerhouse in a musical that owns its Disney-ness
View Date:2025-01-11 06:23:02
Let’s be real: If you hate all things Disney or are a big ol’ cynic, you’re not going to like the new animated musical “Wish.” So go ahead and move on to another movie review. Perhaps “Killers of the Flower Moon” or “The Holdovers” – both are really good!
OK. Still here? Then you’ll probably find something to love about “Wish” (★★★ out of four; rated PG; in theaters Wednesday), a tune-filled, big-hearted storybook fantasy directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn that’s the most rousingly Disney effort this side of “Frozen.” Even for hardcore fans, “Wish” comes close to overdoing it with the, well, Disney-ness. That’s when Oscar winner Ariana DeBose (“West Side Story”) becomes the movie’s saving grace, as a likable, idealistic teen heroine with plucky verve and powerhouse vocals.
The island kingdom of Rosas, in the Mediterranean Sea, is ruled by King Magnifico (Chris Pine), a sorcerer with a tragic backstory who offers sanctuary and protection. In exchange, Magnifico keeps safe each person’s wish – the “best” part of one’s heart – and hosts ceremonies granting them on special occasions.
Asha (DeBose) hopes her grandpa's wish comes true on his 100th birthday. And in addition to working as a tour guide – she helpfully runs down everything you need to know in the flamenco-flavored “Welcome to Rosas” – she has an interview to become Magnifico's apprentice. Rosa’s an awkward bundle of nerves, but she impresses the king, and he shows her the room containing the multitude of wishes, housed in sparkling bubbles. She sees a few, including her grandpa’s, but Magnifico becomes enraged when she inquires about granting it. (He only allows wishes that will help the kingdom, and is pretty much a control freak about the whole thing.)
Crestfallen, Asha ventures out at night and wishes on a star – and while we’ve seen that Disney plot device plenty of times before, at least it sounds excellent in the anthemic “This Wish.” This declaration of her compassionate desire to make life better for her people leads to the arrival of Star, a rambunctious, sparkly little ball of energy. Its power gives voice to a host of animals and living things – including Asha’s newly suave-talking pet goat Valentino (Alan Tudyk) – but also leads the paranoid Magnifico to use forbidden magic to counteract what he perceives as a threat.
'Wish' movie:We've got your exclusive peek at Disney's talking-animals song 'I'm a Star'
At a time when awards-season contenders are beginning to test your bladder’s will to live with lengthy run times, “Wish” clocks in at a tight 95 minutes. But there’s not much character development besides Asha, and Magnifico goes from “he seems cool” to “what a jerk!” in record time.
The original songs by Julia Michaels and Benjamin Rice are solid. “Welcome to Rosas” is nicely peppy, Pine turns on the snarling smarm for villain song “This Is the Thanks I Get?!” and “This Wish” is the obvious highlight, soon to become a staple on many a little girl’s streaming playlist. The movie’s an effective vehicle for DeBose’s considerable talents: The Broadway veteran imbues Asha with an unmistakable, magnetic warmth and in her own way, she’s as full-throated a force of nature as Idina Menzel’s ice queen Elsa.
“Wish” wraps up Disney’s 100th-anniversary celebration, and it's pulled out all the stops, right up until the not-so-bitter end, with nods to animated classics and characters. (There's a reason why Asha has seven color-coordinated friends.) Most lean clever rather than cheap, and the film always has youngsters in mind, so they’ll likely remember Valentino conducting a Busby Berkeley-style chicken extravaganza rather than Magnifico’s petty authoritarianism.
You also won’t be able to get the strains of “When You Wish Upon a Star” out of your head, since bits of the melody are sprinkled throughout the film. “Wish” entertains and unabashedly owns being a safe paean to old-school Disney, shamelessly aiming for all your nostalgic feels.
And it makes no difference who you are.
veryGood! (354)
Related
- 5-year-old boy who went missing while parent was napping is found dead near Oregon home, officials say
- Democratic lawmakers slam the lack of attorney access for asylum-seekers in Border Patrol custody
- Kate Spade 24-Hour Flash Deal: Get This $300 Crossbody Bag for Just $59
- Reward increased for arrests of ‘anarchists’ who torched Atlanta police motorcycles
- What Republicans are saying about Matt Gaetz’s nomination for attorney general
- WWE superstar talks destiny in new documentary 'American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodes'
- State takeover of Nashville airport board to remain in place as lawsuit proceeds, judges rule
- GM recalls nearly 900 vehicles with Takata air bag inflators, blames manufacturing problem
- College Football Playoff ranking release: Army, Georgia lead winners and losers
- Health care provider to pay largest Medicare fraud settlement in Maine history
Ranking
- 'SNL' stars jokingly declare support for Trump, Dana Carvey plays Elon Musk
- Bed Bath & Beyond is back, this time as an online retailer
- Add Some Magic to Your Beauty Routine With the Charlotte Tilbury and Disney Collection
- USA vs Portugal highlights: How USWNT survived to advance to World Cup knockout rounds
- Jennifer Lopez Turns Wicked Premiere Into Family Outing With 16-Year-Old Emme
- US opens safety probe into complaints from Tesla drivers that they can lose steering control
- TBI investigating after Memphis police say they thwarted 'potential mass shooting'
- China accuses U.S. of turning Taiwan into powder keg after White House announces new military aid package
Recommendation
-
Harriet Tubman posthumously named a general in Veterans Day ceremony
-
What does 'lmk' mean? This is the slang's definition and how to use it correctly.
-
Jason Aldean links 'Try That In A Small Town' to Boston Marathon bombing at concert
-
Pamper Yourself With Major Discounts From the Ulta 72-Hour Sale
-
College Football Playoff ranking release: Army, Georgia lead winners and losers
-
What a Team: Inside Megan Rapinoe and Sue Bird's Kick-Ass Romance
-
Driver pleads not guilty in hit-and-run that killed a 4-year-old Boston boy
-
What's next for USWNT after World Cup draw with Portugal? Nemesis Sweden may be waiting