“Wish”: For die-hard Disney lovers

“Try, make a wish / For hope is in the heavens / When we pray to the lucky star.”

This is how the Blue Fairy sang at the opening of the film Pinocchio (1940), the first in a long series of original songs to earn the Walt Disney Company an Academy Award. Since then, the lucky star has become an emblematic image of the animation studio – it is an integral part of the logo and the soundtrack which introduce each of its works, in addition to being essential to the narrative development of several of them – and, in turn, the American dream.

To mark its 100e anniversary, the small studio turned conglomerate makes its star the star of a new animated film, wishwhich follows the shapes of the greatest successes in its history — Snow White, Cinderella And Snow Queen in the lead – and multiplies the nods to the now clichéd good moves which have long made him famous.

Asha, 17 years old, with bright eyes, an immaculate smile and twirling hair, lives in Rosas, a fantasy kingdom where all wishes are likely to come true. Upon reaching the age of majority, each resident is invited to entrust their greatest wish to King Magnifico, a sorcerer who protects them and who grants their wishes as he sees fit during special ceremonies that bring joy to his subjects.

When Asha runs for the position of apprentice witch — a reference to Fantasy —, she discovers that Magnifico is not the expected benefactor and that he jealously guards the wishes that could threaten his reign. To rediscover the desires of her people – and thus give them back their identity -, Asha sends a sincere and powerful wish to the stars, who will respond to her call in the form of a small ball of infinite and magical energy named Star.

Together, the star, the teenager, her seven friends – a nod to the seven dwarves – and her talking goat Valentino – another recurring motif in Disney’s works – will confront the formidable king in a movement of self-determination that will set ablaze the entire community of Rosas.

By multiplying the references to its classics, Disney necessarily invites comparison. Charming, even enchanting at times, wish is, for the discerning viewer, only a pale copy of the flamboyant images, timeless songs and larger-than-life characters that made the magic of another era. Everything is there, but to a lesser degree, as if we were activating nostalgia without leaving room for the promises of the future.

Fortunately, none of these details will hinder the experience for young audience members, who will delight in a pastel-hued fairy kingdom, a purely Machiavellian villain, a waddling star and other cuteness. Not to mention morality which, as always, offers a message of hope in these troubled times and reminds us of the power of numbers and the importance of solidarity.

wish

★★★

Animated film by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn. Featuring the voices of Ariana DeBose, Chris Pine and Alan Tudyk. United States, 2023, 92 minutes.

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