To start, let's clear the veil that obscures the film itself. "Wish" is an acceptable installment in Disney's catalog of princess tales, maintaining the established standards. However, if one were to compare, it surpassed "Raya and the Last Dragon" and “Encanto” by a little.
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A defining feature of Disney's princess tales is their solid cultural significance. It's expected that each princess embodies a unique cultural symbol. This approach smartly breathes new life into the genre; otherwise, retelling tales akin to "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," containing the Grimm fairy tale essence of princesses and princes, would grow tiresome after a couple of iterations. Thus, infusing culturally diverse elements becomes the vibrant outer garment for these princess fairy tales.
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"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" played a crucial role for Disney financially and artistically. This film notably earned several Oscars for its contributions. Consequently, Disney continually injects freshness into its princess animations, showcasing diverse elements—attire, dance, cuisine, combat styles, character archetypes, or lifestyles. Thus, audiences witness dumplings and tea alongside Mexican burritos, the sound of bagpipes intermingling with electronic beats, and Flamenco dancing interlaced with grass skirts.
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"Brave" finds itself in an awkward position. Its lineage doesn't boast the purity typical of Disney, which is apparent in its visual style, having originated from Pixar, not Disney Animation Studios. This film presents a cultural flair within the first ten minutes, featuring attire and fiery Flamenco dance, hinting at the Iberian Peninsula's essence. However, the creators overlook entirely the cultural freshness for the remaining ninety minutes, reducing the movie to an unremarkable revenge tale without distinctive attributes.
Another trend in Disney's princess films is their heightened sensitivity toward Hollywood and America's political correctness. Starting from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" in 1937, spanning over sixty years, although Disney introduced vibrant cultural elements, the construction of characters, particularly princesses, remained within the paradigm of princess + prince.
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With the awakening of feminism in the 90s, starting with "Mulan" in 1998, a more pronounced shift towards a female-centric narrative emerged. Clear indicators were the absolute prominence of the main female lead, a diminished emphasis on romantic themes and the bestowal of stronger will and greater power to the princess. "Mulan" was the first Disney animation to introduce the concept of family.
From "Brave" in 2012, the romantic aspect was almost entirely abandoned, and there's barely a male lead. Instead, the emotional core of the princess series transitioned from romantic themes to themes of family ("Brave," "Frozen," "Encanto") and friendship ("Raya and the Last Dragon," "Moana," "Wreck-It Ralph").
"Wish" can be seen as the film that most thoroughly strips away the romantic storyline. In previous installments, there was usually a character or object that carried the emotional connection of love, friendship, or family for the princess, but this film lacks such a presence.
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The film's core, the wishing star, although personified, struggles due to being a character lacking in speech. It's challenging for a silent character to bear the emotional weight needed for the storyline, causing a rupture in the emotional journey of this film. The wishing star's inability to speak significantly impacts its position and importance within the film.
Disney took its first bold step regarding character development by portraying Pocahontas in 1995, presenting a Native American princess on screen. Although "Aladdin" introduced Jasmine, she remained within the Western cultural sphere from a cultural perspective.
Starting with Pocahontas, Disney began crafting princesses from different cultural and racial backgrounds. With the influence of Hollywood's increasing political correctness in the new century, the impact of ethnicity and culture in films expanded beyond just the protagonist. This film takes this notion to the next level. The protagonist, Aisha, is a mixed-race black girl dressed in Spanish attire. Quite politically correct. Disney, as always, remains Hollywood's benchmark for political correctness.
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Examining the kingdom on this Mediterranean island, the protagonist's friends consist of Easterners, blondes with blue eyes, mixed-race individuals, and Slavic people. Ever since "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," including animals alongside princesses has become a series staple. A cute animal adds considerable charm to a film, evolving into an essential element, serving as an adorable character and a source of comic relief.
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In this film, the princess's pet is a mountain goat, somewhat commonplace. Although adorable in design, once it begins speaking, the once lively and charming creature turns into a snarky individual, losing the liveliness it had while only being able to bleat. Anything static is serene; however, once it starts talking, it feels like a stand-up comedy act.
Additionally, the film introduces a lucky star as a mascot, which succeeds due to its minor, adorable nature, exuding an infant-like cuteness and straightforwardness. Unfortunately, the creators aimed to give this little star a more significant role, hoping for more chemistry between it and the princess, but this attempt needs to be revised.
"Wish" boasts an acceptable musical score featuring nine original songs. Although not as catchy as "Let It Go," these tunes are pleasant and story-compliant. Although the unrestrained singing during the final climax battle might seem slightly artificial, this format works well for a film more inclined towards a theatrical essence. This aspect is a strong continuation of the typical traits found in princess animations.
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Lastly, let's touch on what's hidden under the princess's skirt. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but I sensed some aspects while watching "Wish" - I believe it's the first anti-utopian theme in Disney's princess animation history, with shadows of "V for Vendetta." In the realm of princess stories, it's the first to present a narrative of rebellion against the reigning authority through the people's uprising.
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