With its silly and sentimental storyline, it's fair to say that this 1989 family film is not exactly Oscar-worthy. In fact, even a Razzie would be too generous. But because it cheerfully combines the two things I was most obsessed with in the 1980s and early 90s – Nintendo and Christian Slater – it can't help but push my buttons.
The titular "wizard" is a troubled young boy, played by Luke Edwards. Jimmy has many problems stemming from a complicated family life and a harrowing backstory that has left him barely able to utter a complete sentence. Unhappy with his lot and faced with being committed to an institution, he waves goodbye to his native Utah and sets off for California with his older brother and a feisty runaway in tow.
The three minors decide that, despite having almost no money and even less common sense, Jimmy should enter a national computer game contest, modestly titled Video Armageddon. They plan to split the $50,000 (£30,000) cash prize and prove that Jimmy doesn't deserve to be institutionalised. Cue a series of corny misadventures involving a runaway-child catcher, a smug teen rival, a long-distance trucker, an ill-fated romance and an endless supply of Nintendo cartridges.
In theory, Fred Savage and Luke Edwards are in the lead roles, but Nintendo entertainment system takes centre stage, with the Nintendo Power Glove in an (unintentionally) hilarious supporting role. The other cast members, including Savage, Beau Bridges, actor turned singer Jenny Lewis and a tiny Tobey Maguire, are merely bit players.
The Wizard has frequently been dismissed as less of a film than a feature-length advertisement for Nintendo. While it's impossible to argue with that assessment, it doesn't prevent the storyline from offering a generous dose of goofy entertainment – albeit in a cringeworthy kind of way. It also gives present-day viewers an intriguing insight into gaming culture in the pre-internet days, when kids roamed arcades in packs and racked up huge bills by phoning the Nintendo hotline for tips on beating the end-of-level boss.
The Wizard is notable for providing gameplay footage as a preview – or as some might say shameless plug – for Super Mario Bros 3, before its release in the US. The appearance of the Power Glove, which became the subject of much internet ridicule, was designed to showcase the product as a stunning triumph of innovation, rather than one of the worst game controllers ever made.
Some of the most memorable moments of The Wizard take place during the Video Armageddon contest, which was shot at Universal Studios. Amid a frenzy of neon and glitter, a giddy crowd witnesses Jimmy's joypad-pounding battle against his gaming adversary Lucas. It all seems a bit laughable when watching as a grown-up, but I still can't help cheering during Jimmy's last-second victory.
Away from the game-related plotlines much of this film's subject matter – which includes the death of a child, mental illness, addiction, poverty and divorce – is undeniably depressing. Whenever the films veers towards soapy melodrama, however, director Todd Holland ramps up the fun with a jolly jaunt around a Universal backlot or an over-the-top showdown between the useless adult characters.
Due to its cheerleading for a much-loved gaming era, The Wizard is making a bid for cult status among Nintendo loyalists and retro-tech fans. There even was a reunion that featured some of the key cast members a few years ago.
Yes, The Wizard is full of bloopers and utterly shameless in its product placement. But, frankly, anyone who doesn't get a warm and fuzzy feeling watching a grief-stricken young boy cure his emotional trauma by playing Super Mario Bros 3 in front of a euphoric live audience is a heartless monster.
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