When I was a kid, I loved magic. Both the spells in the fantasy worlds of J. R. R. Tolkein and Dungeons & Dragons and the more “real” form, particularly tricks and illusions. Unfortunately, it is a skill that requires effort, practice, and commitment – things I really suck at. In contrast, the motivated kids in Disney’s Magic Camp all have a better trick up their sleeves. They attend the “Institute of Magic,” a summer camp to learn the art of illusions, stage magic, and close-up magic.
The story revolves around Theo (Nathaniel McIntyre) a 13-year-old aspiring magician who – in true Disney format – has lost his father. His grief over his father’s recent death has made him reluctant to attend the camp and perform despite his talent and potential. Theo is assigned to the Heart cabin, the film’s equivalent of Gryffindor house, and finds himself the one talent among a group of newbie misfits. The cabin’s counselor is Andy Tuckerman (Adam DeVine), an ex-stage magician who gave up performing after his partner “betrayed him” but was convinced to become a counselor by his former mentor Roy Preston (Jeffrey Tambor). Naturally, his ex-partner, Kristina Darkwood (Gillian Jacobs), is also there as the leader of the Diamond cabin, the “Slytherin” bully cabin. The central conflict of the film is between these two cabins, who compete for the Top Hat and Golden Wand, camp awards for best cabin and best student.
For a Disney film following the traditional Disney formula, Magic Camp is odd. It is not bad in any way, and actually has a charming story and cast, but nothing breaks the mold in particular. The humor, although surprisingly dark at times for a Disney film (seriously, the bullies use Theo’s dead dad as their main source material…), is clever and charming, but the cast seems afraid to do more with it. The child actors are passionate in their roles and have a lot of fun dialogue, some of them even having great delivery, but they feel fake due to the nature of the film and script. This mediocrity is particularly shocking, however, because of the high caliber of its main adult cast, as they have all been critically acclaimed for their comedy work. The film just feels like a Disney Channel Original Movie, and I don’t mean masterpieces like Sky High and Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century. I mean the bland ones, the ones that belong on modern Disney Channel. It tries to be a family-friendly version of summer camp comedies like Meatballs or even Wet Hot American Summer with its humor and premise, but it really does not work given its target audience. It’s like the ultimate mixed bag.
If there’s any one thing that keeps this film together, it’s Adam DeVine. I said in my review of the disastrous AI “comedy” Jexi last year that I was waiting for him to find his niche as a lead actor, as I saw potential in his performance there despite the weak script, and it seems like that statement aged well and he’s finally getting there. His presence on here – whether it’s teaching the kids tricks or helping Jeffrey Tambor announce the camp’s schedule – is just a ton of fun. He naturally transforms into this character, and his over-the-top delivery that echoes his Workaholics character definitely works in his favor here. This film feels like School of Rock but for a new generation, and with his style, Adam DeVine is the new Jack Black.
With all that in mind, I don’t think Magic Camp is a bad movie. Just in the same realm as a lot of 2020 movies – it’s not great, but it makes a perfectly fine film to watch with your family, and especially kids, if they just want to watch something new. If that’s all you need for a family viewing, one that can be fun even for you if you approach it without a lot of criticism, then this is the film for you and your family.
2.5/5 STARS