- Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie, yet another Disney Channel movie based on a Disney Channel show that I have never watched.
Honestly, I didn't even though this is where Selena Gomez came from. Once again, seeing how I haven't seen the show,
I can't really compare it to the original source material, but I can say for a newcomer,
I actually followed it surprisingly well, and also as a newcomer,
I actually didn't see it as that bad.
My first initial thought was it was gonna be another Harry Potter spin-off like some of these other Disney Channel movies.
But that's not really quite the direction it goes. Alex, played by Selena
Gomez, is part of a family of wizards that lives on Waverly Place.
But they don't stay there long as the mother decides they need to grow closer together, so the family takes a vacation.
But the teens, being normal teens, are not having a lot of fun. Alex
eventually feel so shut in that she accidentally uses her powers to make it seem like her mom and dad never met.
The spell works. The parents have no idea who each other are or the kids.
And they seem like completely different people when they're single.
Using their magic irresponsibly, not caring that much about other people, all the usual stuff.
But it looks like they only have 48 hours before
reality sets in and the kids themselves will disappear. In fact, their memories already seem to be going.
But it just so happens they come across a half-assed magician who used to be a wizard--
in fact, the parrot used to be his girlfriend-- who has a secret map to the stone of dreams, a
magical device you can make one wish upon that will come true, so it's Harry Potter
slash
Even Stevens slash
Indiana Jones slash
Beach Vacation that all these Disney Channel movies seem to like to go on.
Upon hearing the plot, you wouldn't think very much of the movie, and truth be told, its strength is not in its writing. Its strength
is in its
performances. In a lot of these Disney Channel movies, you always kind of feel like these actors are shoved together really fast
and yet they're supposed to act like a family, like they've known each other for years.
And you can't blame 'em. I doubt they have much rehearsal,
and they have to just go, but here, because I think they did have years of being on a show, they really have a camaraderie.
- All right, people.
Let's move. This way.
- The other way.
- The other "this way."
- They have the one-liners.
They have the zingers.
But they never seem too mean. They seem like the kind a normal family would make.
Take for example this scene where the father asked for the wand back.
- Just give me the wand.
Come on.
- Come on.
- Give me the wand.
-Give me the wand.
- Now, written down, him mimicking him wouldn't be that funny, but because the performances seem very real,
it works. That really is the saving grace of this movie. I legitimately like watching these people. Nobody seemed out of place.
No one was giving an awkward acting job. They all seemed legitimately believable. Even something as silly as this magician talking to his parrot.
It's so dumb, but by God, every minute he's on screen I believe that parrot is his girlfriend.
He sells it as well as Jimmy Stewart does making you believe there's a rabbit in the room.
- Yeah. Yeah, but I know. I know you were sentenced to 50 years in feathers.
But if you take the stone first, it'll disappear forever.
You're kind of good at this, aren't you?
I hate it when
we fight too.
- They not only work in context of the comedy, but they work in connection to the other characters.
I totally buy every single one of their relationships.
And they would act how they're acting towards one another. The only part where I get a little lost-- and again,
maybe this comes back to having to know the show-- is that there's this
competition at the end that they have to go through in order to become real wizards.
But it kinda springs out of nowhere in that they talk about a little bit.
But you don't think it's gonna be the climax.
They both have to try in order to become real wizards so that they can get the spells to put everything right, and yeah.
It's pretty. It's neat.
It's creative.
But I just don't think it was fully explained or worked into the story that great.
Especially when you find out what saves the day, it almost kind of seems pointless.
But still, most of the funny moments work. It looks nice.
It's creative, and even some of the dramatic moments
hit bull's-eyes, and again, that comes from the surprising believability of these performances. Does every joke work?
No. Does every line work? No. Are there awkward moments?
What Disney Channel movie doesn't have that? But still, at the end of the day,
I like watching this family. They're snarky, but you can tell they love each other, and it doesn't feel manipulative.
It's the same way Malcolm in the Middle acts so mean to each other but at the end of the day
you know they're a unique unit, and they still function as a caring family.
That's more than enough for me to say this ain't half bad.