Descendants: Wicked Wonderland Asks What Happens When A Villain Becomes A Hero

Red and Chloe are back for a new adventure in Descendants: Wicked Wonderland! Set shortly after the time-traveling events of Descendants: The Rise of Red, the duo must adjust to their new lives. The Queen of Hearts is good, Cinderella is safe, but their actions have created a new threat in Maddox Hatter. Desperate to get his hands on the pocket watch, he captures the Queen of Hearts, which forces both VKs and HKs to work together to save Wonderland. But underneath the colorful musical world is a surprisingly emotional new chapter in the franchise about family legacy, identity, and who gets to decide whether you’re a hero or a villain.

Let’s talk about where are characters are now. Red is trying to figure out life now as a hero kid while adjusting to having a new sister. She also forms a romantic connection with Luis Madrigal, Luisa’s son, who inherited her strength but also understands the blessing — and curse — of family legacy. They’re very cute together and I love seeing a Latino couple on my screen.

Meanwhile, Chloe is struggling under the responsibility of being the prefect daughter as Cinderella is even more of a ruler follower than before. Chloe and Red find themselves on opposite sides throughout much of the film because neither of them can fully see the other’s point of view. Red is still thinking like a VK, while Chloe is still trying to follow the rules.

One of the film’s strongest ideas is the parallel between Red and Max, Maddox’s son. Both understand what it feels like to be judged based on their parents. Max is desperate to prove he is not his father, while Red is dealing with the pressure of going from a villain kid to a hero kid. Because Red is ultimately responsible for Maddox becoming a villain and Max losing his connection with his father, the conflict hits harder than you might expect. I genuinely felt bad for Maddox and Max. Suddenly the lines between hero and villain become less clear. At one point, I honestly found myself thinking, “Wait…. are Red and Chloe the real villains here?”

That’s what I think Wicked Wonderland does best. The original Descendants movies were about the kids of villains escaping the fates of their evil parents. This movie asks, what happens after you actually escape? What happens when you change the past? What happens when you become the hero everyone didn’t think you could be? This is why I think the most important line in the movie might be: “If everything can change, what do we hold onto?” While they have each other, it also offers up a deeper sense of self. You can’t let other people define you. Not your friends, not your parents, and certainly not mere words like “hero” or “villain.”

The music is another highlight. As usual, the VK kids get some of the best songs. My favorite was the Latin-influenced “Did You Hear About Them,” brought to life by the dynamic Luis Madrigal and Hazel Hook. It’s a fun hero vs villain addition to the soundtrack that is filled with pop, rock, and R&B stylings.

The film is a bit overstuffed with characters though. Pink doesn’t get enough time to develop her relationship with Red as sisters, while characters like Robbie, Felix, and the Smee twins barely make an impact. Honestly, removing some of them might have given the movie more room to explore Red and Pink’s sisterhood.

There is also a particularly glaring plot hole around Cinderella and the looking glass. The movie establishes that the looking glass can get her directly to Bridget’s throne room, so it becomes increasingly hard not to wonder why she didn’t use it earlier.

There are also plenty of fun franchise Easter eggs, including a photo of the late Cameron Boyce, posters of the King and Fairy Godmother, and a reference to Uma calling the Auradon council to make a plan. There’s plenty of Alice in Wonderland connections as well, like going down the rabbit hole, visiting the White Rabbit’s house, the shrinking and growing cookies, the croquet gardens, and so much more. 

And, of course, the story is never really over. Pink finds something and put it in her treasure box. Could it be the blue heart stone that turned Chloe evil? Maybe we’ll find out in a sixth film.

All in all, I had a lot of fun with Descendants: Wicked Wonderland. It is occasionally overstuffed and it’s themes are occasionally stronger than the plot at times. But this might be one of the most diverse Disney Channel casts we’ve ever seen, completely led by Black, Latino, and Asian characters. It’s very exciting and inspiring to see. Between character conflicts, fun music, and the colorful Wonderland setting, Wicked Wonderland is a sweet addition to the Descendants franchise. At its heart, the film understands exactly what makes this series work: you are more than the story your parents wrote for you.

Descendants: Wicked Wonderland is streaming on Disney+.