A cursed music box offers seven wishes, but every desire demands a blood price.
In short: In the 2017 horror film Wish Upon, a teenager discovers a mysterious Chinese music box that grants seven wishes. Each wish brings her closer to her desires, but at a lethal cost: every time the box grants a wish, someone close to her dies in a gruesome, supernatural accident.
Directed by John R. Leonetti and written by Barbara Marshall, Wish Upon follows Clare Shannon, a high school outcast who receives a cursed heirloom from her father. The box, once owned by a woman named Lu Mei during a 1910 plague outbreak, is fueled by a demonic Yaoguai spirit. As Clare uses the box to manipulate her social standing and family life, she quickly realizes that the music box demands a sacrifice for every wish granted. When the music stops, the blood price is paid.
The film draws inspiration from W. W. Jacobs' classic short story The Monkey's Paw, though critics noted its similarities to the supernatural death sequences found in the Final Destination franchise. Despite a production budget of $12 million, the film struggled with critics, holding a 20% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviewers often cited its lack of originality and tone, with some describing it as unintentionally funny or tame for its target audience.
Despite its negative critical reception, the film has found an audience as a cult classic. In 2023, the media group Red Letter Media featured the film in their Best of the Worst series, labeling it a modern masterpiece of 'so bad it's good' cinema. While it grossed $23.5 million worldwide, its legacy is defined less by its horror elements and more by its status as a kooky, entertaining curiosity that some viewers find charming in its sheer extravagance.
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