Alex Russo (Selena Gomez) and Justin (David Henri) are siblings in a wizard family. Their dad (David DeLuise) was a wizard, but gave up his powers when he met their mom (Maria Canals-Barrera). Alex and Justin inherited their dad's powers, but there is a catch: only one of the two gets to keep them. Both details serve as major cornerstones for the movie's plot. It's a bit of a "duh" moment, but you would be surprised how often these little details are left out. This is the first thing Wizards of Waverly place does right and certainly isn't the last.
With something like a lifetime of magic powers on the line, you would think both kids would be thirsty to find that one spell or cantrip to put them ahead in the eventual sibling wizarding duel. Not in the Russo family. Justin is always looking for a way to best his sister, while Alex is more interested in everything but magic. With the outcome of the impending duel a foregone conclusion, Justin's dad awards Justin with the family wand and "Book of Forbidden Spells" so he can practice.
In the midst of Justin's apparent victory, the Russo clan decides to take a trip to the tropics so their parents can relive where they first met and fell in love. Alex is so happy with "family time" she decides to go to a party just to get away. After her mom says no, a frustrated Alex steals the family wand intending to cast a spell forcing her mom to let her go only to mess it up and cause her parents to never meet. The wish doesn't go unnoticed by the rest of family, setting her and Justin on a quest to find the Stone of Dreams, the only thing that can reverse the spell. However, the duo only has 48 hours before the spell takes root and they aren't the only ones looking for the Stone.
Looking back at the setup, it's hard to believe just how much happens in 98 minutes. Corners are obviously cut, but Wizards of Waverly Place manages to successfully get everyone up to speed with the series while weaving an interesting and entertaining movie. I'll stop short at calling it one of the year's best; but as far as made-for-TV movies go, Wizards of Waverly Place is tops. It will also give fans the one thing they've probably been looking forward to: the chance to see Justin and Alex go one-on-one for the title of wizard.
As extras go, Wizards of Waverly Place is light. With the exception of a color-changing Wishing Stone keychain, the only other extra is a short behind-the-scenes feature. "Insider's Exclusive - On Location" features the show's young stars and offers a brief look at things like Special Effects, Stunts and Animal Actors. At first, I found the lack of extras disappointing, but I imagine the movie's target audience would rather watch the movie again instead of a bunch of extras. Still, I am a bit confused about the lack of a musical feature considering Selena Gomez is one of Disney's newer musical talents. I'm not complaining, but it is an odd omission.
It's also great to see that, despite its fantastic roots, Wizards of Waverly Place is still a very real movie. Though it sometimes dips a little too deeply into sappy places no movie needs to go, Alex's problems are relatable. I think we've all wished for a different family, but the grass isn't always greener on the other side. Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie will please both fans of the show and their families.
