#magiccamp

Quartermaster: Why are you kids waking me up? [glances] it’s 3am.

Harrison: We did something bad.

Nerris: Really bad!

Quartermaster: Put the corpse on ice, I‘ll take care of the rest.

Originally scheduled for a 2018theatrical release and then demoted straight to Disney+, you’ve got to set your expectations low when entering Magic Camp. If you have young kids that desperately want something new to watch, this will keep them quiet for an hour-and-a-half. Even so, this kid-friendly comedy doesn’t give much back. No one who watches this will remember it after a few days.

Ever since the death of his father, aspiring young magician Theo Moses (Nathaniel McIntyre) hasn’t been himself. When he learns he has been accepted at the Institute of Magic, a summer camp who trains children in the arts of illusion and misdirection, his spirits are lifted. Unfortunately, he’s been assigned to Hearts cabin, led by washed-up Andy (Adam DeVine). Can Theo, allergy-prone Nathan (Cole Sand), rabbit-obsessed Ruth, antisocial Vera (Isabella Cramp), and Judd (J. J. Totah) - only there because his father is a famous magician - rekindle their camp counsellor’s love for magic in time for the end-of-summer competition?

You’ve seen this movie a thousand times. The “kids at a camp led by a reluctant teacher” must be a template writers pass around when they need something aimed at 6-11 year-olds. At least this movie offers something by showcasing a number of cool magic tricks. Too bad the experience doesn't compare to seeing the real thing live. On TV, you always feel like you’re seeing the 8th take or that computer trickery was involved.

You can pinpoint every single person’s journey from the moment they appear. This movie has no guts, whatsoever. Even the bully - Vic (Hayden Crawford) - isn’t THAT bad once you break it down. Not helping are the performances. Adam DeVine and Jeffrey Tambor (he plays camp's owner) are as charming as their material allows them to be. The kids are pretty bad. A scene in which Theo breaks down while thinking about his father isn’t convincing at all. Everyone else is an average child performer - either too excited to feel real or clearly struggling. You’re not doing much more than watching the predictable mechanisms move the way you’d expect them to. Magic Camp knows it isn't offering much and doesn't try hard either. There's no attempt to develop all four of the camps - just Diamond and Hearts. This isn’t like the first Harry Potter where we had to introduce to all of these wild concepts. You could’ve easily done more.

Magic Camp isn’t devoid of fun. There are some chuckles. The kids will find the adults pleasantly goofy. It’s completely inoffensive (to a fault I’d say). I'd call several of the tricks we see amazing. It’s fine but no one will ever call this their “favorite movie”. They won't even remember anything about it when making the list. Because of this, I can’t recommend it. You've heard the premise. You know another movie just like it's that better. Show them School of Rock instead. (August 28, 2020)