Wish

Wish is mild. Though competent, its plot is predictable, simplistic, and derivative. It wants to harken back to Disney's golden age but adds nothing of its own to the recipe. There are cliche themes of dreams and togetherness, executed so superficially that they become annoyingly saccharine and unearned. The acting offers lovely singing, but the chemistry, vulnerability, and sincerity are quite lacking. It has exposition dumps, blunt dialogue, generic humor, contrivances, weak emotional development, pointless digressions, excessive characters, flimsy setup/payoff, and unsatisfying triumph. Consequently, Wish feels more like a sterile product than a genuine story.

Technically, Wish is safe. Its music offers original singalongs but none are especially memorable or impactful. The production design and effects combine 2D and 3D animations, creating a watercolor style that has interesting textures yet also looks cheap. Its sound adds straightforward split cuts, genre elements, and atmosphere. The editing provides a short runtime, rhythm, and a couple passing cuts. Its informative cinematography uses motion, angles, depth, and lighting. The cast is diverse and slightly famous, but none are particularly essential (except maybe DeBose). Ultimately, Wish is too thin, manufactured, and transparent to be much more than an inferior imitation.

Writing: 4/10

Direction: 4/10

Cinematography: 6/10

Acting: 5/10

Editing: 6/10

Sound: 6/10

Score/Soundtrack: 7/10

Production Design: 7/10

Casting: 5/10

Effects: 8/10

Overall Score: 5.8/10