One of the key factors that went into the development of Animaniacs was the vaudeville-type nature of the show: a large cast of characters with some headliners, and a little bit of something for everyone of all ages. Wakko's Wish continues this tradition with a plot that combines all the major Animaniacs characters, adds a large number of well-done musical numbers, humor for all ages, and overall is an excellent addition (and hopefully not a conclusion) to the Animaniacs series.
If you have never seen Animaniacs, this movie may not be the best place to start: there's a lot of in-jokes (such as Dot's story, Pinky and Pharfignewton's relationship, and the oddities in the Cave), and the large number of musical bits may remind you of typical theatric animated films. However, those that are familiar with the show will recognize that music plays a significant role in both the series and in the movie. The music itself is outstanding as composed by Randy Rogel, including several original works as well as a lyrical adaptation of Liszt's 'Hungarian Rhapsody #2' that does an excellent job of progressing the plot instead of being an aside to it.
The plot itself is very good; simple and easy to understand for the youngsters, but leaves enough meat for the creative humor that attracts adults to this show. The pacing is a bit off at points; the first and last 10 minutes may seem slow as the characters and setting is established, then concluded, but once the movie hits the middle block, it moves quite well, and you'll wonder where the time went. Given that there are 9 teams aiming towards the Wishing Star (in a "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad World"-type fashion), they are connected very well, with airtime shared being all of them fairly (Needless to say, the Warners get most of it, but it's their show to begin with). Even more impressive is that the characterization remains unchanged: Brain still wants to take over the world, Slappy is still grumpy, Mindy is still overly curious. This is also quite surprising given the number of characters actively involved with the plot.
Voicework is well done: Rob, Jess, and Tress do an excellent job on their voices for the Warner Sibs throughout, and the supporting cast supply their voices well. All the characters aid in the lyrics, which may be odd for some of the voice actors; for example, Nathan Ruegger, who voices Skippy, is in his own 'wonder years', and his singing may be off at points (but is nicely commented on within the movie).
Animation is top-notch as done by TMS, who has done the best animation for Animaniacs in the past. A good use of shadows on both characters and background help to immerse the viewer into the story. There's a few CGI parts, some painfully obvious, some not, but these are limited and do not detract from the overall enjoyment of the show.
Those with younger viewers will be glad to know there are no real sensitive parts in this movie. Besides Pinky getting bopped on the head with a pencil, there's no real violence. There is on Bambi-esque like moment near the end, but it passes quickly, and you shouldn't have to worry about consoling your youngster after it's over.
Overall, Wakko's Wish is a joy for any fan of the Animaniacs show, and continues the tradition of bringing humor and entertainment that can be enjoyed at multiple levels. Some of the humor and plot requires a passing knowledge of the TV show, but for those that have it, this movie is a great trip, and is an excellent addition to the series.
