One of the most discussed Disney movies of 2023 was the animated film Wish.
Related: ‘Wish’ on Track To Be Disney’s Biggest Bomb
Disney Wish (2023)
The Walt Disney Company promoted the film and pushed it as a celebration of the company’s 100th anniversary. The Disney Wish movie received multiple marketing campaigns and was expected to be Disney’s big Christmas holiday blockbuster. But after it came out, it received less than stellar reviews and had underperforming box office numbers.
Whether the reason was a lack of interest in the movie, poor advertising, or Disney fatigue, one fact is that the movie was a flop.
Related: I Watched Disney’s ‘Wish’ and Here’s What All the Critics Got Wrong About the Movie
Former Animator Speaks Out
Recently, former Disney animator Frans Vischer expressed his views on Instagram. His body of Disney animation includes The Princess and the Frog (2009), Frozen (2013), and Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of Mouse (2001).
In addition to his work at Walt Disney Animation Studios, he also worked on features including The Prince of Egypt (1998), The Simpsons Movie (2007), and Curious George (2006).
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But he didn’t hold back his thoughts when it comes to the new movie Disney Wish.
“I just finished watching Disney’s latest animated feature, “Wish.”
I agree with most reviews and opinions, ‘Wish’ was made by committee with the usual shopping list of content; bland sidekicks, dumb throw-away jokes, characters look and act like typical Disney characters, especially the heroin, and the fx animation, (technically well-done,) visual pizazz to mask the lack of substance. But this can be said for the last four or five Disney features.
What really struck me about ‘Wish’ is the animation- everything is overacted, every tiny nuance has its own gesture or pose, making the characters move almost constantly. The overdone lip-synch, every consonant painstakingly enunciated, as if the characters speak to the hearing impaired.
It seems the technology of CG animation has given the animators such control that everything must move, all the time. The beauty of animation sometimes lies in the lack of movement, (watch the original, [sadly in this day and age of countless sequels, this must be clarified] ‘101 Dalmations.’ The characters move when they need to, and the subtler gestures work within a held pose.)
But in ‘Wish’ the movement is almost constant; cliché-ridden, distracting hand gestures, non-stop head tilts, shoulders moving up and down. It’s as if the technology is driving the art instead of the other way around.
Let’s hope the Disney brass realize their 100-year heritage and start making films worthy of it.”
He certainly isn’t alone in his criticisms of the movie. Its lack of appeal also appears to be global, as even in the international markets, it failed to perform well in the international box office either.
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The Disney film has made $176 million globally, while costing over $200 to make.
The Disney movie takes place in the magical land of Rosas, the film will introduce Asha, voiced by Academy Award-winning actor Ariana DeBose, Valentino, voiced by Alan Tudyk, and the film’s villain, King Magnifico, voiced by Chris Pine. It is directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn.
How can having a positive view of Michael Eisner be controversial? I’d take him over Iger any day.