Wish Dragon [Movie Review]

Wish Dragon |  I was so eager to catch the movie when its trailer first aired. I have a feeling that this will be a great combination of elements from Aladdin and Mulan. 

How I wish I get to watch this with my kids in Sibu, Sarawak. Hurry up C19 - go away!

SYNOPSIS

Wish Dragon (2021) Trivia

• Starring: Jimmy Wong, John Cho, Constance Wu, Natasha Liu Bordizzo, Jimmy O. Yang, Aaron Yoo, Will Yun Lee & Ronny Chieng
• Directed by: Chris Appelhans

• Produced by: Aron Warner, Chris Bremble & Jackie Chan

• Production companies: Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Beijing Sparkle Roll Media Corporation, Tencent Pictures, Base FX, Flagship Entertainment Group, Boss Collaboration & Cultural Investment Holdings
• Distributed by: Sony Pictures Releasing (China) & Netflix (International)

• Release date: June 11, 2021

• Running time: 98 minutes
• Rating: PG (for some mild action and rude humour)

• Country: United States, China
• Language: English, Chinese

• Tomatometer: 68%
• Metascore: 60%
• IMDb: 7.2/10

• John Cho voiced Long the Wish Dragon while Jackie Chan voiced Long in the Mandarin version. 
• This is Sony Animation's second Netflix exclusive film, after The Mitchells vs the Machines.
• Released in the same year as Raya and the Last Dragon, which is also about dragons. 

The movie starts with a backstory of two small children, growing up in the same working-class neighbourhood. Din, who is raised by his mother whereas Li Na is raised by her father, go to the same school and gradually, find new ways to explore and enjoy the world, despite them not being rich. 

The friendships stopped abruptly when Li Na and her father moves out from the neighbourhood and lives a totally different lifestyle, a lavish one as Li Na father's business flourishes. 

Now a teenager, Din still lives in the same neighbourhood and works part-timely as a food delivery boy while studying. Apparently, he works all the time and neglects his study as he wants to save money to meet up with Li Na, who is now known country-wide as models.

During one of his delivery, he was given a teapot by one of his customers. Later that night, while 'ón a date with Li Na' on the rooftop of his flat house, he mistakenly calls upon the dragon that resides inside the teapot. The dragon, Long was to grant three wishes of whoever holds the teapot. Long informs Din that he must serve 10 masters in order to enter the spirit world and Din is his 10th master. Din just laughs and brushes Long's story about the wishes. 

That was until he was chased by a trio of goons, led by a man named Pockets, who were sent to recover the teapot from him. Unknowingly, as he did not believe in Long's story about the three wishes, Din uses his first wish to fight the goons. Lo and behold - he knows karate and defeats the goons. 

As Din is so determined to meet up with Li Na, he uses his second wish to temporarily appear as a wealthy prince, much to Long's surprise. People would always want to be rich, but never wants to appear only temporarily rich, Long advises Din. Against his advice, Din and Long joins Li Na's birthday party and Din manages to ask Li Na for a date together, the next day, as Li Na's approves of the 'wealthy' young man that Din appears to be. 

During the date, when all Long's advice only causes trouble to the young couple, they try to find a better chance to connect but the goons are on Din's heels again. Running away from the goons, the trio arrives at Din's neighbourhood where Din finally reveals to Li Na who he truly is. Li Na was happy to relive her childhood memories but later claims that she has responsibilities and expectations to meet, ending up leaving Din, hurt. 

When Din wants to use his last wish to be rich, Long shares that in life he was a wealthy and powerful lord whose reign ended in loneliness and tragedy and was punished to become a wishing dragon to learn the meaning of life. 

Then the goons appear. Apparently, Li Na's father, Mr Wang was the one who sends them to go after the teapot to help him with his failing business. Pockets get greedy and want the teapot for himself. A fight ensues, leaving Pockets with his wish to turn everything he touches to gold, Long and himself included. 

Will everyone gets their dream fulfilled? Or will life deal the hard card upon everyone's life?

MY REVIEW

Plot: 4.0/ 5.0 Exactly as I told it will be - a little bit of Aladdin and Mulan. The plot is pretty much simple and straightforward - no shortcut to happiness. And being rich is not the answer.

It is a very fun movie to watch with your kids - be mindful that there will be some dark touches of humour along the way but you should be able to explain those to your kids. 

Cast: 4.3/ 5.0 The animation is beautiful - and I love all the characters in it. 

Will I watch it again: Yes, very much!

The pictures are taken from multiple sources on the Internet. Thank you.

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