DCOM Review: "Descendants: Wicked Wonderland" is a Trip Down the Rabbit Hole Worth Taking

Descendants heads back to Wonderland in the fifth installment of the popular musical franchise, Descendants: Wicked Wonderland. Part of the second generation of VKs, the film picks up right where The Rise of Red left off. After Red and Chloe's time-traveling adventure in the past, the new film follows the daughters of the Queen of Hearts and Cinderella as they face the ripple effects of altering time.

No longer a VK, Red (Kylie Cantrall) finds herself expected to be a "Perfect Princess" and big sister to a sibling she didn't have before, Pink (Liamani Segura). Back at Auradon with Chloe (Malia Baker) and their new entourage of HKs (Hero Kids), the royal teens are just learning what normal means in their new timeline when a red alert goes out. Red's old friend Maddox Hatter (Leonardo Nam) is holding the Queen of Hearts (Rita Ora) and Cinderella (Brandy Norwood) hostage until his magical pocket watch is returned!

Unlike most of the franchise, Wicked Wonderland is set almost exclusively down the rabbit hole, away from Auradon Prep (or Merlin Academy). Red and Chloe are escorted by their friends, a new duo of HKs that includes Luis Madrigal (the son of Luisa from Encanto, played by Alexandro Byrd) and Robbie Hood (Robin Hood's non-fox son, played by Joel Ouiette), plus Pink, who seems to go wherever Red goes.

At its "rotten" core, the Descendants films have always grappled with labels and what it truly means to be a VK. Wicked Wonderland flips the script by taking a VK and making her an HK. Central to that identity crisis is Max Hatter (Brandon Tremblay), Maddox's son and another new character to Red's timeline. With Maddox's new timeline including a stint on the Isle of the Lost, Max, a VK, seems out of place among a crew that includes Felix Facilier (the "Shadow Man"'s son, played by Zavier Garrett), Hazel Hook (James' daughter, Harry's sister, played by Kiara Romero), and Smee's twins (Ryan McEwen and Dayton Paradis). Red has a hard time seeing him with them, and brings this new gang of VKs to Wonderland in hopes of giving Max a redemption arc.

At the heart of Wicked Wonderland is a story of sisterhood that feels born of the memorable moments between Mal and Evie in the original trilogy. Red and Chloe find themselves at odds about how to save their moms, with Red wanting to trust Max and Chloe thinking that's a mistake. There's also a small romance subplot between Red and Luis, a staple of the franchise that was absent from The Rise of Red, which feels like a bit of prep work for the inevitable sixth film.

Overall, Descendants: Wicked Wonderland is a more solid film than its predecessor, which suffered from a rushed conclusion that stalled its momentum. While fans of the original trilogy may feel abandoned by the absence of Auradon and the original cast members (Melanie Paxson is the lone consistent presence as the Fairy Godmother), on its own merits, it proves that the magic is still there. With a solid soundtrack of new songs, impressive dance routines, and a colorful new world to explore, the fifth installment feels familiar enough to not be out of place, but new enough to seem fresh and exciting. 

I give Descendants: Wicked Wonderland 4 out of 5 stars.

Descendants: Wicked Wonderland premieres Thursday, July 16th, at 8/7c on Disney Channel, and starts streaming Friday, July 17th, on Disney+.