Dickens & Rumi
Cover of The Wizard

film

The Wizard

1989

A boy and his brother run away from home and hitch cross-country, with help from a girl they meet, to compete in the ultimate video game championship.

Ages 8+Source checked

Why this age? The PG-rated adventure is generally suitable for children, but family separation, emotional distress, road danger, and competitive tension may affect younger viewers. Reading/viewing complexity is modest. This is guidance, not a safety guarantee; reading level and family context may differ.

Quick view

At a glance

Recommended age8+

Strongest cautions

  • Products & advertising5/5
  • Frightening scenes2/5
  • Violence2/5

Strongest positives

  • Creativity & curiosity4/5
  • Positive messages4/5
  • Courage & resilience3/5

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What’s in it?

Products & advertising5/5
Why this rating?

Highly consumerist; functions as an extended advertisement for Nintendo products.

Death of a character1/5
Why this rating?

A sibling’s past death is part of the emotional backstory, but there is no indication that death is shown or a recurring focus.

Strong language1/5
Why this rating?

Language appears mild and occasional, consistent with a family-oriented PG adventure.

Romance1/5
Why this rating?

No significant romantic content.

Frightening scenes2/5
Why this rating?

Some mild tension regarding the children running away and being followed by a bounty hunter.

Alcohol or drugs1/5
Why this rating?

There may be minor background smoking by adults, without evidence that substance use is central or glamorized.

Violence2/5
Why this rating?

Some light physical confrontation and chasing sequences; nothing severe or bloody.

What’s good in it?

Courage & resilience3/5
Why this rating?

The children undertake a difficult cross-country journey and face competition, uncertainty, and family challenges with determination.

Creativity & curiosity4/5
Why this rating?

Video games, competition, travel, and problem-solving drive the adventure and invite imaginative engagement, even though creativity is mainly expressed through gameplay.

Diverse representation2/5
Why this rating?

The central group includes a girl with an active role and a child with distinctive needs, but broader cultural and identity representation appears limited.

Educational value1/5
Why this rating?

Video-game strategy and persistence may build incidental skills, but teaching real-world knowledge is not the film’s purpose.

Kindness & empathy2/5
Why this rating?

The girl helps the brothers and the premise emphasizes cooperation and supportive relationships during a difficult journey.

Positive messages4/5
Why this rating?

The story strongly supports perseverance, sibling loyalty, friendship, belonging, and valuing abilities that others may overlook, though winning is also emphasized.

Good role models2/5
Why this rating?

The children are largely unsupervised and break the law, though they show loyalty and grit.

Family discussion

Talk about it

Conversation starters based on this title’s published content notes.

  1. What was the most imaginative idea in the story, and what would you add to it?
  2. Did products, possessions, or buying things matter to the story? What message did that send?
  3. Which choice in The Wizard would you have made differently, and why?
  4. Who changed the most in The Wizard, and what caused that change?
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