‘Wish Dragon’ is actually a 2021 Chinese-American computer-animated fantasy comedy film written and directed by Chris Appelhans. The film stars Jimmy Wong, John Cho, Constance Wu, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Jimmy O. Yang, Aaron Yoo, Will Yun Lee, and Ronny Chieng. Jackie Chan produced the film and voiced Cho’s role in the Chinese Mandarin version.
Wish Dragon was released on Netflix internationally on June 11, 2021. It received mixed reviews from critics and audiences and has been both favorably and unfavorably compared to Disney’s Aladdin. This particular movie is about a determined teen Din who is longing to reconnect with his childhood best friend when he meets a wish-granting dragon who shows him the magic of possibilities.
What ‘Wish Dragon’ Is About
Din who is a working-class college student with big dreams but small means and also Long which is cynical but it is an all-powerful dragon capable of granting wishes, set off on a hilarious adventure through modern-day Shanghai in pursuit of Din’s long-lost childhood friend, Lina. Their journey forces them to answer some of life’s ever biggest questions. This is because, when you can wish for anything, you have to decide what really matters.
What Can Be Said About ‘Wish Dragon’
This movie, ‘Wish Dragon’ ticks all of the boxes for a memorable family film that are the adventure, comedy, and also sincerity. Din radiates an irrepressible positivity, embodied by his wide, honest smile. He hasn’t seen his childhood friend Lina in a decade, yet still thinks of her every day. He is simply one of those good-hearted heroes who is impossible to dislike. His dragon companion, not so much. Long is the anti-genie of this tale, steeped in cynicism and encouraging Din to get his wishes over and done with so his role as a wishing dragon can end. That latter part is where the film gets particularly interesting.
Din and Long learn from each other, which is uncommon for this narrative and certainly refreshing. However, the movie ‘Wish Dragon’ is not a film fueled by surprises. Its predictability is made up for in sheer enjoyability.
Sources: YouTube Netflix.
