The Amazing Wizard of Paws

Movie review by Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media
The Amazing Wizard of Paws Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 9+

Even a dog can't save subpar movie about magic, growing up.

NR 2014 96 minutes
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Parents say

age 8+

Based on 2 reviews

Kids say

age 6+

Based on 3 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Amazing Wizard of Paws, a live-action movie, is filled with magic and wizardry. A coveted Book of Incantations, a mysterious key, and a time-traveling dog create a spooky setting, and a stalking sorcerer puts both the hero and his dog in frequent danger. Bobby, a young magician-in-training, must deal with mature real-world issues -- the accidental death of his father, a gang of school bullies, and the possibility of being evicted from his home -- while at the same time he battles dark forces of evil from hundreds of years ago. Scary moments include chases, break-ins, and Bobby's escape from a flying bus. Bobby is subjected to insults from the bullies and tries to prevent a drunken man from driving a car. Though it has little impact on the story, Bobby's caring mom is passive and makes no effort to repair the family's money problems; she simply cries and worries. The many storylines and plot elements may overwhelm young viewers, and clarity is not a priority here.

Community Reviews

Y S.
Y S. Adult
March 10, 2018
age 10+

Death

We shut this off. The common sense review mentions a little bit of violence- what they don't describe is the dark imagery and intensity of it. The boy falls in the water? Then they show a clearly lifeless body, the type which requires cpr and is often followed with parents crying. Instead this skips from boy falls, lifeless body, and fine. Guess what ideas that gives my 3 year old? The villain comes through the wall? Again, it's presentation- it's shown in horror movie fashion, he keeps coming and the mother can't protect her child. The son btw develops 'agoraphobia' and is seen by psych - the whole thing plays like it's trying to be a suspenseful horror film rather than a kids movie. I marked it at 10+ to "handle" the elements and images I mentioned but its not the type of movie a 10 year old would watch. I gave it 2 stars because I have no idea how it ends. Maybe things get better somewhere but a family film this is not.

This title has:

Too much violence
Bryan B.
Bryan B. Adult
September 9, 2016
age 6+

Bad Pun Title is This Movie's Best Attribute

The morality in this film is all but absent. A child suffers the tragedy of his father's death, only to gain a magical talking service dog, money that falls from the sky, a mystical book that's been touched up with a bedazzler, and magic powers, which he uses repeatedly to do small-minded and petty things to people who aren't accepting of a person who suffers no discernable disabilities, but feels entitled to trot their dog into a private business or public area. People suffer tragedies, daily, and have to learn to live with it. The kid gets bullied, of course... 46 minutes in, I had enough of the selfish child who only squandered power, and turned it off.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In The AMAZING WIZARD OF PAWS, Bobby is only 5 years old when his dad is killed in a car accident. Traumatized, the young boy suffers from anxiety and social problems. His only friend is Ozzie, a mysterious dog who turns up on the family doorstep with a key around his neck. What Bobby doesn't know is that Ozzie is 623 years old and has traveled through time to help him. Once Bobby is older (Will Spencer), the ancient past -- Ozzie's key, a jeweled Book of Incantations, and unwanted visits from the evil Lord Gargneon -- brings wizardry and magic into Bobby's life. Furthermore, the arrival of a spooky but kind apparition puts Bobby at the center of a centuries-old quest for power. Events now threaten both the boy and his dog. At the same time, Bobby's caring mom reveals that she's lost her job and the bank is soon going to take their beloved family home. Bobby takes his responsibilities seriously; he bravely commits himself to protecting the ancient possessions and to saving the house. The newly acquired magic seems to be the only resource Bobby has. Will the magic he needs come from his new special powers or from within himself?

Is It Any Good?

If only good intentions were enough to create a solid viewing experience for kids and families. In this case, there's nothing to recommend this very low-budget, amateurish effort. A slapdash plot, some very weak performances, lame special effects, and nonsensical events (scenes relating to a "Million Dollar Talent Show" are poorly executed, as is every scene in which the villainous Lord Gargneon appears) all contribute to this substandard effort. Usually, a lovable dog can save even the flimsiest of offerings, but in this case, scenes with Ozzie (played by Little Bear the dog and voiced by Robert Caspari) fail to satisfy. And (spoiler alert) the film's "magical ending" in which Bobby's father returns to life after five years simply because his son did "one good deed" feels like an irresponsible and confusing notion.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what it meant when Bobby was described as "The Chosen One." Do you understand what he was chosen to do or who chose him?

  • Why did the filmmakers include the Million Dollar Talent Show? Did it affect the story? What was its purpose? Why is it important that every plot element have a purpose?

  • At the film's end, Bobby is told that he didn't need magic powers and that he created the magic from scratch and the ideas were his own. Was that statement true? When, if ever, did the filmmakers show Bobby creating magic from his own ideas?

Movie Details

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Themes & Topics

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