By: JWBM
Everyone is standing around with quiet anticipation. A decorative cake and just the right amount of candles are set up for this one moment. The flames go out and boom: a wish is made. We all wonder what that wish could have been. I mean, it's bad luck to tell. But I am going to take a wild guess and say few out there are using their moment to silently end all violence, to cure all deadly diseases, or to simply end all pain. Heck, even an instant universal translator, or a small starter colony on an earth-like planet would be nice. Because those might be a tad convenient and useful for more than one person.
Take your average teenage girl and give her an old box with ancient Chinese characters on it. Sounds safe enough. Though this box turns out to be capable of making seven wishes come true. Sounds like a good deal. Though with everything, there's a catch. Each time a wish is fulfilled, someone surrounding her must die. Sounds like it's going to be terrible for everyone involved. Needless to say, "Wish Upon" isn't going to be a humanitarian effort to display a humble, selfless person that has everyone's aims and goals in mind. Then again, where's the entertainment in that?
The tone of this film is more drama than it is horror. It tends to play out more upbeat and trendy than it does consistently frightful. The story feels like it made a life's-little-problems teen drama out of something along the lines of "Final Destination" meets superstitious Asian horror. At least those had an earnest build up right up till the point someone got it. Or at least an unsettling and demanding message to it all compared to, here, worrying about minuscule squabbles and social media bickering.
"Wish Upon" is kind of restrained at points, making the temperature of the whole experience feel lukewarm than being capable of stepping up the heat to make you sweat around the collar. It's not a bad or offensive film. Just not an adventurous or memorable one either. It fills the spaces and engages your brain smoothly from point A to point B. Just nothing more or less. The formula is strong with this one, not to mention the themes to fall back on are presented predictably generic: be careful what you wish for; be true to yourself and those around you; don't be superficial by concentrating on material things or flirtatious love; and, most importantly, don't inadvertently kill those around you. Kind of important that last one.
Rating: 5.5/10
Director: John R. Leonetti (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Annabelle)
Actors: Joey King, Ryan Phillippe, Ki Hong Lee
Info: IMDB link
Trailer: Youtube link
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