• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Film
  • DVD
  • Editorial
  • About ScreenFish

ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • News
  • OtherFish
  • Podcast
  • Give
You are here: Home / Reviews / Wonder Park: Let Your Imagination Set You Free

Wonder Park: Let Your Imagination Set You Free

June 17, 2019 by Jacob Sahms Leave a Comment

June enjoyed building imaginary worlds with her mother (Jennifer Garner), worlds that extended into the real-world where she made amusement-park-like rides out of supplies around the neighborhood. But when her mother gets sick, her father sends her to a camp for math-loving kids. Thing is, June believes her father needs her help, so she runs back toward home, through the forest.

Unlike some terrifying horror story where the children get lost in the forest and battle a monster, June instead finds herself at Wonder Park, her childhood creation. There, she sees the blue bear Boomer, the boar named Greta, the beaver brothers Gus and Cooper, the porcupine Steve, and the chimpanzee leader Peanut. (Matthew Broderick, Kenan Thompson, Ken Jeong, Mila Kunis, and John Oliver provide the better-known voice talents).

In the park, the animals are wrestling with The Darkness – threatening to eat the goodness and wonder of the Park. Of course, the audience can see the beauty and spectacular imagination throughout the rides, but the danger to the animals and June feels tangible, too. Only the wisdom of June’s mother (“you have the light in you,” “you put the wonder in Wonder Park”) guides June through the issues she faces in the park.

And through the fear and sadness she feels in the real world.

For all of its fun and glitter, Wonder Park is ultimately about how we face our grief and our fear, how growing up changes us, and what kids experience when sickness (or tragedy) threatens a family member. It’s a magical experience but it’s also a powerful reminder about hope in the midst of the darkness. And, young or old, we could all use some of that.

Special features include the deleted scene of “Gus Yodeling,” “The Pi-Song Sing-Along,” “The Wonder Chimp Channel,” two specials with June (“Guide to Wonderland,” “Welcoming Crew”), “Making Noises (It’s Actually a Job?!”, and three drawing tutorials (Boomer, Chimp Pirate, Chimp Princess).

Share it!

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Reviews

About Jacob Sahms

Jacob serves as a United Methodist pastor in Virginia, where he spends his downtime in a theater or playing sports

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Primary Sidebar

THE SF NEWS

Get a special look, just for you.

sf podcast

Hot Off the Press

  • The Marijuana Conspiracy: Token Rights and Freedoms
  • Quo Vadis, Aida? – Helplessness
  • GIVEAWAY! The Marksman on Blu-Ray!
  • In The Earth: Getting Too Close to Mother Nature
  • Monday – The Price of Hedonism
Find tickets and showtimes on Fandango.

where faith and film are intertwined

film and television carry stories which remind us of the stories God has woven since the beginning of time. come with us on a journey to see where faith and film are intertwined.

Footer

ScreenFish Articles

The Marijuana Conspiracy: Token Rights and Freedoms

Quo Vadis, Aida? – Helplessness

  • About ScreenFish
  • Privacy Policy

© 2021 · ScreenFish.net · Built by Aaron Lee

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.