The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Revie Request: Magic Island (1995)

Have you ever had that feeling of cinematic déjà vu? There is a singular moment of “Wait! I have seen this movie before!” that takes over for sure. There are some films from your childhood that were filed away in your brain bank that you never would have thought could make a comeback. But alas, you sometimes unexpectedly watch a film, and it comes rushing back to your mind. There are plenty of obscure little flicks for children of the 90s that were watched dozens of times on VHS or on Disney Channel. That is 100% correct about Magic Island which made a fun splash back in 1995. This is one of the campy and silly straight-to-video flicks from a bygone era.

Is this film at least a fun time after 30 years? This is a campy and silly affair that certainly never takes itself too seriously. This never really takes itself seriously at all. That just might be the charm of this film. We have a boy who is lonely and gets whisked away into a book about pirates. He must join forces with a ragtag crew, falls for a mermaid, and must contend with Blackbeard, his band of pirates. This has the campy effects (both practical and stop motion) of a straight-to-video 90s film. There is heart in this little flick and has a good message about growing up and making meaningful connections. This silly film will probably put a little smirk on your face for the whole runtime.

But is it a “good” movie? There are plenty of flaws to point out about Magic Island. First off, the narrative is insane, loose with a random MacGuffin and a string of episodic moments that fill up the 90-minutes or so of the runtime. There is not a clear and compelling story that drives you forward. The characters are mostly one note for sure (with only some game cast members making a real impact). There are a lot of performances in this film that are just plain silly and don’t add much in terms of emotion or building connection to the audience. The love story element is as plain as white bread, and the conflict feels incredibly one note. There are plenty of tired tropes including the protagonist’s family’s employing of “help” in the form of a black woman alluded to having powers (what a seriously tired and weird trope for sure).

But are there elements that are hard not to appreciate? If you can take away your critical lens and just look at this as a silly family romp, there are certainly elements that will make the whole family smile. This is the type of film that features a tree on a desert island that grows slices of pizza. Miraculous and ridiculous. This is not your “Awards Season” type fair but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time. Zachary Ty Bryan (of Home Improvement fame) is a solid enough protagonist to anchor down such a film. But the duo Amdrew Divoff and French Stewart who wow as Blackbeard and one of his crew members. Giant walking statues, sand sharks, and cursed treasure…oh my! This is the type of fantasy adventure that a small child will eat up for sure.

Is Magic Island worth your time? There might be two reasons to check out this silly romp. One…you have a bunch of pent-up nostalgia that just needs the right campy pirate vessel to deliver it. Two…you might have kids of your own now and what to show them a silly fun time. The idea of experiencing such a nostalgia ride with your children sounds like such a charming time. This has all the silly campy of a childhood fantasy flick even with plenty of shortcomings. This won’t deliver for most adults…but it just might be a hit amongst the 3 to 7 crowd.

Special thanks to Corey Skowronski for the nomination of Magic Island (1995)!