Wish Dragon Parent Guide

A decade ago, nine-year-old Din (Jimmy Wong) and Li Na (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) were inseparable best friends, until Li Na had to move away, and they lost touch with each other. Now 19, Din is determined to reconnect with Li Na and rekindle their friendship. The problem? Li Na is now rich and famous, while Din is neither of those things. Out on his job as a delivery boy, Din stumbles across a magic teapot containing a wish dragon named Long Zhu (John Cho), who offers Din three wishes, which might just be the solution to all his problems.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: this story is very similar to Aladdin. Many of the reviews I’ve seen are already calling Wish Dragon “Chinese Aladdin”. Although it is true that the two movies share a lot of plot similarities, I think that immediately putting Wish Dragon into that box ignores and devaluates all that it is doing outside of that comparison. This film takes the basic premise of three wishes and brings it into modern times, leaning more heavily into messages of selflessness and finding happiness outside of wealth. Long is also given a much more compelling and detailed back story than the Aladdin’s Genie ever was, which makes him a more relatable and well-rounded character.

There’s a lot to laud in this movie, but I’ll start with the voice cast. John Cho in particular shines as Long, bringing humor and pathos to a role that grows and changes in believable ways. Jimmy Wong is a believable and earnest protagonist and the many supporting characters are all unique and breathe life into this imagined world. The animation is well done, though not groundbreaking in any way, but I appreciate the obviously high production value.

Wish Dragon is an overall great production, but one of its best features is in its messaging. Throughout their adventure, the characters explore what true happiness is and how it relates to money and power. There are also messages about community and friendship and how the most important things in life can’t be bought. I don’t think the writers ever get too preachy on the subject. Instead, it feels organic to the story and to the characters. Alongside these important themes, the writing is legitimately funny, with some great jokes about modern life and the ridiculousness of rich people.

All things considered; you’re not going to get a much safer family movie these days. Yes, there’s a fair amount of kung fu fighting, but it’s so cartoony in style that it never feels terribly violent. There’s a scene with some adults drinking at a party, which results in a minor sexual joke, but I think that will go over most kids’ heads. If you’ve been wishing for a fantastic film with great messages that the whole family can enjoy, Wish Dragon can grant you that.