The Wizard Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

The Wizard Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf March 3, 2020

Dismissed as a 100-minute-long commercial for Nintendo during its initial 1989 theatrical release, “The Wizard” has managed to shed such contempt over the last three decades of cult appreciation. Make no mistake, the feature is one big plug for the video game company, with the production making sure to highlight new games and controllers, while nearly every character has a fever for the NES and all the video adventure it provides. However, there’s a bit more to “The Wizard” than promotion, with screenwriter David Chisholm and director Todd Holland making an effort to get the picture to a point of emotional connection, trying to stuff as much family business as possible into the corners of the endeavor. It’s up to the viewer to decide how successful the creative vision is, as the movie isn’t the sturdiest dramatic offering, often struggling with tonal extremes as the sugar rush of gaming meets the sobering reality of death and familial denial.

“The Wizard” tries to cover a lot of narrative ground in 100 minutes, endeavoring to go above and beyond the average kids film by digging deeper into personal problems, including young Jimmy (Luke Edwards), who may or may not be autistic in Chisholm’s screenplay, but he’s definitely been hit with tremendous trauma involving the tragic loss of a loved one. The subplot is incredibly grim, joined by the plight of Haley (Jenny Lewis), a spunky pre- teen helping runaways Jimmy and older brother Corey (Fred Savage) make their way to a L.A. gaming competition known as “Video Armageddon.” She’s brassy and independent, but also the daughter of a gambling addict who left her years ago, while her father is a trucker who’s never home, effectively making her an abandoned child. Even Corey has domestic troubles, dealing with a splintered family. Now mix all this depression with the airiness of the Nintendo plugs, which has the road-trippin’ trio hustling kids for lunch money, playing top console hits and discovering new toys, such as the infamous Power Glove. Such tonal instability keeps “The Wizard” wildly uneven, creating a challenging viewing experience, with the feature caught between a need to delight with gaming exhibition and a desire to ground such fluff with troubling events.

For additional analysis, please read the 2018 review by Martin Liebman.

The Wizard Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

A mere two years ago, Universal put "The Wizard" on Blu-ray, and the results were not good. Shout Factory has elected to try again with a new release of the 1989 movie, with their AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation sourced from a "4K transfer," and while screencaps don't always tell the whole story, it's clear through comparison than the 2020 viewing experience blows the 2018 release out of the water. Colors are richer and real, with bright primaries that secure period clothing and video game ornamentation. Locations explore deep greenery and blue skies, while signage is distinct. Skintones are natural. Detail reaches the limitations of the original cinematography, offering a satisfactory view of road trip stops and location visits, which retain dimension. Facial surfaces enjoy newfound clarity. Gaming particulars are open for study. Delineation is communicative. Grain is fine and film-like, lacking the filtering that suffocated the previous release, though, interestingly, at the 71:11 mark, the old scan of the movie is utilized for seven seconds, presumably to cover for missing materials. I didn't notice this elsewhere, but it's subtle. The last two screencaps show the difference.

The Wizard Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix satisfies with the basics, handling dialogue exchanges with proper clarity, offering distinct arguments and mischief. Scoring is appreciable, with decent instrumentation, and soundtrack selections deliver more powerful sonic moments, offering a pop beat. Atmospherics are enjoyable, capturing crowd bustle and excitement during studio chases and Video Armageddon, and some panning effects are detected.

The Wizard Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc 1

• Commentary features director Todd Holland.

• Deleted Scenes (37:54, HD) provide fans with a look at the feature's original opening act, which went deep into Corey's home life, following his adventures with friends and his playful antagonism of Nick. There's more with Christine and her emotional issues, highlighting the divide from her former family, and Nick's recklessness is displayed, working on a drinking problem in private. Jimmy's introduction to video games is offered, exploring his fascination with the NES. The rest of the clips are brief snippets from the road movie stretches of "The Wizard," examining family issues, arguments and complications, and an impromptu diner dance between Corey and Haley. Helpful is more time with trucker Spankey, understanding his whole deal, and there's a very 1989 reveal of how the kids manage to sneak into Universal Studios to appear at Video Armageddon, which is also lengthened with short clips. An extended ending is also offered.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:02, SD) is included.

Disc 2

• "The Road to Cali-forn-ia: A Look Back at 'The Wizard'" (40:45, HD) is the official making-of for the movie, which includes interviews with director Todd Holland, writer David Chisholm, producer Ken Topolsky, and actors Fred Savage (audio only) and Luke Edwards (cruelly, Jenny Lewis doesn't appear). The participants explore the origin of the picture, which was pitched as a "Karate Kid" with Nintendo, and the greenlight depended on the hiring of Savage, then the hottest thing in child acting. Holland's attachment to the project is highlighted, with his childlike ways an ideal fit for the shoot. Casting is recalled, with Lewis beating out Universal's choices for Haley, including a teen beauty queen. Locations are broken down, with the fast shoot requiring quick thinking and dealing, especially when need for a Reno casino space arose. Memories of Universal Studios are shared as well. Perhaps most interesting to fans of the film is a breakdown of technical challenges, with the cast miming gameplay, which was actually pre-recorded footage. Editing offers an understanding of storytelling choices, and soundtrack selections are inspected. The cult legacy of "The Wizard" provides the featurette with a closing statement on the effort's longevity, with video footage of fans sharing their love for the endeavor upping the emotional content of the documentary.

• "How Can I Help You?: Confessions of a Game Play Counselor" (5:52, HD) is a short summary of employment from Greg Lowder, who shares the history of the Nintendo game play hotline and company policy when it came to actually giving out solutions to game puzzles. Lowder discusses the rise of save points in video games and the height of the call center's popularity, when 600 people were manning phones and sharing answers with rabid NES players. The interviewee also offers his reflection on "The Wizard."

• "A Clinical Analysis of 'The Wizard'" (12:48, HD) is a slightly bizarre attempt to understand the character of Jimmy with help from clinical psychologist Andrea Letamendi, who makes a game effort to interpret the character's behavior in the film, filing through his backstory and physical movements. Letamendi does her best, but she's trying to examine ideas that aren't present in the movie, putting more thought into things than the producers did.

• "Let's Play Gaming Expo 2019" (57:10, HD) is an extended panel interview with Luke Edwards, David Chisholm, and Ken Topolsky, with the trio sharing production stories and highlighting the increasing love for "The Wizard," celebrating its 30th anniversary during the expo.

• Post Screening Q&A (24:09, HD) takes a trip to an Alamo Drafthouse, where Edwards, Chisholm, and Topolsky field questions from a small audience of "Wizard" fans. Topics include the legacy of the movie, production stories, and Edwards shares his idea for a possible sequel.

• Photo Gallery (10:37) collects film stills, publicity snaps, BTS shots, and poster art.

The Wizard Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Wizard" is kept afloat by its cast, with Savage and Lewis providing unexpected energy to the movie, delivering engaged performances, joined by a flavorful supporting cast that includes Beau Bridges and Christian Slater. There's a monumental amount of nostalgia that carries the film today, as it's undeniably fun to return to a time when gaming was a little less vast and tribal. "The Wizard" doesn't provide a fulfilling dramatic endeavor, but it has its charms when locked in road trip mode, visiting a few entertaining sites (including Universal Studios Hollywood) and playing some cool games before it returns to the unnervingly dark concerns of broken people.