At the 100-year mark, Disney offers nostalgia, hope, and ‘Wish’

Disney’s “Wish,” which arrives in theaters today, will undoubtedly remind viewers of one of the House of Mouse’s most recognizable tales about magical desires – “Aladdin.”

The similarities are obvious, from antagonistic sorcerers to protagonists who come from humble beginnings. With that said, there is one important difference between the two. Aladdin, called the “street rat” from Agrabah, inspires feelings of sympathy throughout his journey. Asha, the hero of the kingdom Rosas, is a conduit for empathy.

That distinction is important, and as Disney celebrates 100 years in movies, music, and animation, it offers a place to stop and reflect. Through praise and criticism, Disney remains a standard bearer in the arts, and beyond that, in wielding the power to inspire.

Early reviews of “Wish” are reflective of how that standard is interpreted. Wish currently has a fan score of 80% on review site Rotten Tomatoes, and a critic score under 50%. Hope versus cynicism? Expectation versus reality? It’s hard to say. But what “Wish” offers is middle ground.

We enter the story from the perspective of King Magnifico, a ruler who seemingly uses his magic to grant people’s wishes. We learn later that Magnifico has a monopoly on the townspeople’s desires, under the pretense that he is judge, jury, and elocutioner. Chris Pine’s performance is not as dynamic as Robin Williams’ Genie in “Aladdin,” but the latter is an impossible standard. Pine carries the movie with his gravitas, descending into pompousness and villainy.

Asha, the daughter of a philosopher, reflects the hope and ideals of a people. “You care too much,” she is told early on. Empathy is a weakness, an early narrative offers. That deep concern comes into conflict with the egotistical king, and when she challenges him, he eschews altruism for authority – “I decide what everyone deserves,” he declares.

Ariana DeBose, who voices Asha, brings the chops that made her an Academy Award winner, and beyond that, a conscience to the character. The influence of Asha’s late father is prevalent, as is her profound desire to grant the more than 80-year-old wish of her centenarian grandfather, Sabino. This internal conflict drives Asha’s personal destiny, and from there, inspires a revolution among the people of Rosas.

Asha’s anti-establishment movement might be headier stuff, if it wasn’t replete with countless callbacks from Disney movies past. Aside from the historically controversial “Aladdin,” “Wish” draws on elements from “Fantasia,” “Shrek,” and “Snow White,” among others. Critics contend that it pulls too much from Disney’s past, but the retelling of familiar narratives offer an important message: People should work together in hope of embracing their personal and communal goals. 

Again, it is not a heavy-handed commentary, which is why Disney endures. I took my 5-year-old to the film. In a world with choices like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle revivals and live-action video game movies, it ended up being his first Disney film. He couldn’t stop talking about the “good king who turned bad” and how he was defeated by “the good people.” I was 9 when “Aladdin” hit theaters, and the relationship which endured for me was the one between the titular character and the Genie.

Disney is adept at delivering messages that transcend generations, and that knack remains true in “Wish.” “Through the heart, we understand the world,” one of the side characters in the film blurts out – followed by a whimsical gag line. But the message endures, as does the ability to balance seriousness with levity.

For a century, Disney has offered us all a path to escapism, and a place where expectation and reality can coexist. Cynicism chooses to call such an illusion a delusion, but Pinocchio is one example of how a beautiful lie became something much larger, and eventually, led to the truth.

“If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme,” is one of the mantras from “When You Wish Upon a Star,” a jingle that is practically Disney’s introduction to not just movies, but many forms of its marketing.

Disney reminds us through “Wish” that reminiscing shouldn’t be an indictment against originality, but a rekindling of the candle that burns in each of us – hope.