Common Sense Media Review
By Renee Schonfeld
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Kids' adventure tale filled with danger and a bit of heart.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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The Wizard
What's the Story?
Fred Savage, at his most appealing, plays Corey Woods, a loving young teen trying to save Jimmy, his mentally-challenged younger brother, from life in an institution. The two set off from Utah to California with only a few dollars and a skateboard. On their way they meet a street-savvy girl who joins their flight. When the older kids discover that Jimmy is a true "wizard" at video games and hear about a tournament for gamers with a grand prize of $50,000, their quest intensifies. Back home in Utah, various members of their very dysfunctional family (including Beau Bridges and Christian Slater) and a bumbling detective take off after them. The journey is filled with danger, unpredictability, some good folks and some bad, culminating in a final showdown for Jimmy and his proud pals.
Is It Any Good?
This film will evoke some comforting nostalgia for parents who played video games when they were kids. The structure of THE WIZARD is much like these old games: Three kids move from one level to another on their way to a big score, meeting an assemblage of opponents of various degrees of danger, all the while being chased by not-so-worthy adversaries who slip and fall and crowd one another off the screen. The resolution is hokey and contrived; the characters are thin and hit the same notes over and over again. The final gaming tournament is abrasively loud and lacking in any suspense. Still, the gifted Fred Savage manages to add heart to an otherwise dismissable movie.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about children with special needs. How are disabled kids portrayed in TV and movies? Have you seen any changes to these portrayals in the last few years? Are you aware of your own behavior around children with disabilities? How do you imagine they would like to be treated?
Corey and Jimmy thought running away was the answer to their problems. What other options did they have? What do you do when you have important issues to deal with in your family?
Video games have changed a lot since 1989 when this movie was made. Do you think the violence is more explicit today? Do you think this evolution is a good thing? Were the old games enjoyable without the "realistic" action?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 15, 1989
- On DVD or streaming : August 22, 2006
- Cast : Beau Bridges , Christian Slater , Fred Savage
- Director : Todd Holland
- Studio : Universal Studios
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Adventures , Book Characters
- Run time : 100 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : adult situations and language
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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