Movie Review: Monster High: 13 Wishes

Monster High: 13 Wishes
Mattel Entertainment, Nerd Corps Entertainment, USA, 2013.

In ancient Middle Eastern country someone has found a magic lantern but she is not happy about it. Genie Gigi tries to stop evil shadow genie Whisp before Whisp can take over the world. Gigi uses magic mirror and both genies get trapped into the lantern. 

Gigi

Centuries later it is a new semester in Monster High. Clawdeen's little sister Howleen Wolf is bullied in the school. She wants to be popular but her plans always backfire. Boogeyman's daughter Twyla tries to comfort her. While cleaning the attic as punishment for causing trouble Howleen finds the lantern and gets 13 wishes from Gigi. "You have to be careful of what you wish for, because you may achieve it.” would Andy McCoy say.

BTW Howleen's hair style has changed since the previous animations.

Howleen finds the lantern

For comparison this was Howleen in "Why Do Ghouls Fall in Love"

Twyla

She uses the first wishes to help her friends. But the evil shadow genie starts to whisper to her that she should use the wishes for selfish purposes. Suddenly Howleen is the most popular student in the school and Cleo gets a taste of how it feels to be a nobody. Twyla suspects that there is something evil lurking in the shadows and tries to help Howleen before it is too late.

Deuce and Cleo

Abbey as the President

Heath, Manny and Clawd in distress

Howleen's wishes cause confusion in the school. Abbey is selected for Student Disembodied President and makes the school run more efficiently much to annoyance to other students. Manny, Clawd and Heath try to survive reality stunt show "Die Trying" hosted by Crash Maxxon. Frankie, Clawdeen, Ghoulia and Draculaura get trapped in the lantern wearing fabulous Arabian Nights costumes. They have to find the mirror to stop Whisp's schemes but the palace is full of traps. One by one the students are replaced by evil Gothic versions of themselves and possessed Howleen turns the school into North Korea.

The girls in the palace of Arabian Nights

Evil ghoul friends

It is a notch darker than the previous MH-films, as Howleen has always been one of the more angsty characters in the MH-universe. There is also a bit more action with flying carpet chases and the amusing reality show contest. This tale is a cautionary tale about cult of popularity and youth wanting to be instant celebrities. Not everything that you wish for should become reality and some things require effort and that is what Howleen and the other monsters learn. Nice adventure again, with quite predictable plot but amusing and enjoyable nonetheless.

Crash Maxxon

Weird angler fish shaped map

Gossip column: Skelita seen together with skeleton brace boy

There are again some web episodes included.

Department of Monster Vehicles

Frankie is going to driving test and friends try to coach her.

"Evil Dead" reference spotted.

Royal Pest Sitter

Cleo agrees to babysit Rochelle's furry pet with disastrous results.

Cookie Creeper

The girls bake cookies for fundraiser but the dough comes alive and tries to eat them.

Ever After High Speak Peek

Introduction to MH's spin-off franchise starring fairy tale characters.

It's Piggy!

Rating: Good

Voice actors: Cam Clarke, Erin Fitzgerald, Missi Hale, Cindy Robinson, Marcus Griffin, Julie Maddalena, Salli Saffioti, Jonathan Lipow, Evan Smith, Debi Derryberry, Jonquil Goode, Audu Paden, Kate Higgins, America Young, Laura Bailey, Karen Strassman 

Directors: Steve Sacks, Andrew Duncan, Audu Paden