For this Blog Follower Dedication Review, I wanted to step away from the realm of Hallmark movies. I do enjoy reviewing Hallmark productions and writing about Hallmark related topics. But with my recent review of True Justice: Family Ties, my list of the top ten Hallmark movies that should have received a sequel, and my Word on the Street story about CrimeTime: Freefall, I wanted to offer my readers other cinematic titles through my articles. I just checked out a movie titled A Horse Called Wish. Though I have written about “horse films” before, these types of films are rarely featured on 18 Cinema Lane. Another reason why I chose to write about A Horse Called Wish is because the story not only takes place in Mauritius, the movie was filmed there as well. I haven’t heard of many stories or movies from this African country. In fact, A Horse Called Wish is probably the first I’ve come across. With that said, I wanted to see how a more unique perspective would impact the landscape of the “horse film”!

Things I liked about the film:

Avoiding “horse movie” cliches: Within the realm of “horse movies”, there are certain cliches found within each story. While some of these cliches can be found in A Horse Called Wish, the creative team behind the film avoided other cliches. One cliché from “horse movies” is the “misunderstood horse” cliché, where the horse in question is either a wild horse that would rather be set free by the protagonist or the horse is a descendent of wild horses and has a spirit that can’t be tamed. While the titular horse, Wish, is misunderstood, he is perceived that way for different reasons. I won’t be discussing those reasons because I don’t want to spoil the movie for any of my readers who are interested in watching it. In “horse movies”, one of three landscapes will be commonly featured in the story. These types of landscapes are either desert, mountainous, or the “manicured lawn” (where riding academies or stables are surrounded by lawns and foliage that appear well-cared for). Since A Horse Called Wish takes place in and was filmed in Mauritius, the landscape surrounding the characters and horses is tropical. Through long and medium shots, volcanic mountains, green fields, and even glimpses of the ocean display the natural beauty Mauritius has to offer. This creative decision also gave A Horse Called Wish a unique identity among other “horse movies”!

Hannah Gonera’s performance: No matter the genre, it’s important for a story’s main character to be a likable individual with a good personality. Cindy Moreau, the protagonist of A Horse Called Wish, was able to be this type of character thanks to Hannah Gonera’s performance! Hannah’s expressions and reactions were fluid, appearing seamlessly throughout the movie. The strength of Hannah’s acting abilities made her portrayal of Cindy seem realistic! Cindy’s interactions with other characters proves this point. Sometimes, Cindy confides in her boss from the food truck where they work together. These scenes are reminiscent of Daniel and Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid, as Cindy is guided by her mentor. Whenever her boss gives useful advice or encouraging words, Cindy always looks appreciative. From being thankful over receiving a job interview to being disappointed by her mother’s refusal for Cindy to work at a local riding academy, Cindy’s emotions came across as genuine.

The messages and themes: “Horse movies” will typically include themes and messages that younger viewers can learn from and older viewers can appreciate. Within A Horse Called Wish, there are some good messages and themes that were incorporated in the story well! Cindy is passionate about equine sports, from constantly reading a book about horses to frequently visiting a local riding academy. Toward the beginning of the movie, she accepts a job as a stable-hand. I once heard a quote about dreams not working unless you do. As montages of Cindy cleaning the stables and taking care of the horses are shown on screen, she lives by that quote as she creates a good foundation of being a good equestrian. I also heard a quote about finding a job that makes you look forward to go to work. Through another montage, viewers can see Cindy excited to go to the riding academy, as she displays a smile on her face every time she wakes up in the morning. The message of actively working toward dreams and the theme of finding a job that makes you happy can give viewers advice to apply to their lives.

What I didn’t like about the film:

Contradictory dialogue: In A Horse Called Wish, there were a few times when the dialogue contradicted the characters’ surroundings. Toward the start of the movie, two riding academy students (Elizabeth and Charlotte) visit the food truck Cindy works at. This food truck has restaurant space near the truck for patrons to sit down and eat their meal. While Cindy is waiting on their table, Charlotte claims the salt shaker has fallen on the floor. However, the restaurant space is outdoors, so the salt shaker fell on the ground. Later in the movie, Elizabeth is trying to have a conversation with her father. In order to quickly finish the conversation, he tells his daughter to go home and go to bed. Based on the lighting surrounding these characters, it appears this conversation took place in the afternoon.

Limited scenes of equine performance: One of the staples of a “horse movie” is the inclusion of equine performance. Whether it’s equine competitions, horses performing stunts, or simply seeing horses jumping, these types of equine performance can look impressive on screen and can provide a story with action and excitement. While there was equine performance found in A Horse Called Wish, these moments were far and few between. Since the story’s riding academy prioritizes the English riding style, there is a show-jumping competition featured in the film. However, this competition serves as the story’s climax, meaning it doesn’t take place until the movie is almost over. Most of the time, horses are shown trotting or walking in a canter.

Too many story elements: As I mentioned earlier in this review, Cindy is passionate about equine sports, willing to work to make her dreams a reality. But this serves as only one element of the overall story. Other story elements are included in the script, such as Cindy dealing with bullying and Cindy’s mother looking for employment. Because of how many story elements were featured in the film, some parts of the story happened too quickly. It also caused the overall story to feel bogged down. With that said, I wish A Horse Called Wish had one main plot and two subplots.

My overall impression:

Before I share my thoughts on A Horse Called Wish, I want to thank every follower of 18 Cinema Lane! With these special Blog Follower Dedication Reviews, I always try to find movies that my readers will enjoy and films that expand their cinematic horizons. I look forward to finding more titles my readers are excited to read about! Now, back to talking about A Horse Called Wish. While watching this movie, I could tell the creative team behind the movie had their hearts in the right place. With some of their creative decisions, A Horse Called Wish brought a more unique perspective and identity to the world of “horse films”. But the 2019 film shared qualities of other “horse films”, such as good messages and themes. A Horse Called Wish does have its flaws. These flaws, like limited scenes of equine performance, held the movie back from being a stronger production. What I do appreciate is how this film gave me an opportunity to watch a piece of cinema created in Mauritius. With the Summer Olympics on the horizon, it makes me wonder if, one day, we’ll see an equestrian from Mauritius winning a medal on the Olympic stage?

Overall score: 6 out of 10

Have you seen A Horse Called Wish? Are there any “horse films” you’d recommend for a future review? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen