Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie

If Disney is slowly trying to get every child into looking and acting like Miley Cyrus (with all those tattoos), parents might want to have their children watch “Wizards of Waverly Place” instead.

Despite “Wizards of Waverly Place” not being as tense as “Hannah Montana,” its first official movie, released in 2009, is a surprisingly helpful and family-friendly movie that should keep tweens wanting magical powers, not tattoos.

Roxana Hadadi said in her review, “Though stars Selena Gomez, David Henrie and Jake T. Austin aren’t nearly as Broadway-ready as those kids from “High School Musical” or as goofy as the ones from “Hannah Montana,” it’s their acting skills that carry the film, which was watched by 11.4 million viewers when it premiered back in August.”

The film starts like a usual episode of “Wizards of Waverly Place,” all about the Russo family, where three kids Alex, Justin and Max (Selena Gomez, David Henrie and Jake T. Austin), all have magical powers they got from their dad, Jerry (David DeLuise). Despite Jerry giving up his powers when he married their mortal mom, Theresa, played by Maria Canals Barrera, he teaches the kids their spell-learning and training for the day when the three of them will fight to become the family’s full wizard – the winner will get all the magical powers and the other two will lose theirs. Even though the oldest brother Justin studies for the test everyday, 16-year-old slacker sister Alex would like to use her powers for her own purposes, like turning the family’s train shop into a train car that can take her and best friend Harper, played by Jennifer Stone, to a party that her parents’ don’t want her to attend.

As a result, her parents find out about her train shop-turned-train car attempt and force Alex to join them on a family vacation to the Caribbean, where Jerry and Theresa first met and fell in love. Just one condition: Theresa, who doesn’t like it when her children use magic to go against her or what they want, forces them to leave the wands at home. Obviously, Justin – who can’t stop using the family’s titanium wand, which works best for him – sneaks that with them, while Alex – who swiped the family’s book of forbidden spells from Justin without his knowledge – packs that in her luggage. The two bring their competitive attitude with them, as well, and soon their different interests (and Alex’s misbehavior and not being able to get along with her mother) make Alex wish her parents had never met. That was bad, Alex.

Hadadi noted, “It’s at that point where Disney takes a little dash of pop culture know-how from “Back to the Future” and some more from “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and uses those tidbits to round out the storyline: If Alex, Justin and Max can’t reverse the spell or get their parents to fall in love again, they’ll disappear (kind of like Marty McFly). And the only way to reverse the spell is using the Stone of Dreams (kind of like Nicholas Flamel’s alchemy work), which is conveniently buried on the same island the kids are staying at and which Justin and Alex go after.”

Even though you can predict the story – this is Disney, and siblings have to get along while parents faithfully love them – it’s the kids – acting and surprisingly believable special effects which make the film work. Hadadi said, “Gomez is a master at being the annoying, selfish Alex, and her portrayal of a typical 16-year-old rings entirely true (trust me, I’d know), while Henrie works well as the know-it-all Justin, who thinks magic is the only way he’ll amount to anything. The film does a good job at building upon the familial relationships that the show uses on a weekly basis, and though scenes like Alex’s and Justin’s (numerous) heart-to-hearts drag on, they’re necessary to further the film’s plot.”

Put that together with some surprising cool effects, like when Alex and Justin use levitating rocks to cross a huge abyss or their weather-heavy magical fight to be the full wizard, and the film should hold fans of the series while also making some exchanges. Hadadi noted, “It’s frothy and actually fun, and though the special features are somewhat lacking (there are some interviews with the film’s producers and stars about stunts and special effects, but they’re nothing spectacular or particularly insightful), at least it’s not a “Party in the U.S.A.””

That’s actually a good thing, since I never was interested in seeing this show. However, this film is actually good, seeing how it took place in between seasons. I don’t think that I will check out the show after seeing this, but I had an enjoyable time seeing this. If you were a fan of “Wizards of Waverly Place,” then you should see this movie. I think that anybody could see this movie and enjoy. However, if you don’t like the whole “Back to the Future” “It’s a Wonderful Life” copycats, then it may not be for you. For anyone else, check it out and see it for yourself.

Hold on to your seats because tomorrow I’m going to look at the “Camp Rock” sequel in “Disney Channel Original Movie Month.”