It’s a small tragedy that Disney’s centenary happened to coincide with a moment of internal crisis for the studio, in which its empire of intellectual property has been stretched so thin that it’s on the verge of total collapse (for a cautionary tale about what happens to overzealous conquerors, see Ridley Scott’s Napoleon). We’ve been told this is a year of celebration for Disney, except it’s not entirely clear what we’re meant to be celebrating beyond the vague reminder of past glories. Considering the studio’s incessant production line of live-action remakes in recent years, it’s been Disney’s go-to strategy for a while now.
There’s a streak of that same futility that’s come to shape the otherwise sweet and mellow Wish, which plays comfortably as a minor-key entry into the Disney canon, but doesn’t hold up all too well under the burden of expectation. Its story, scripted by Frozen’s Jennifer Lee and Allison Moore, is a spin-off film – of sorts – for the wishing star that every Disney princess, puppet, mermaid, street rat and Greek demigod has gazed up at and sang of their heart’s desire.
