Max Magician and the Legend of the Rings
By Anita Cheek MoonAverage User Rating:
MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Max Magician and the Legend of the Rings is a story about a boy's quest to become a young man. He ventures into a world of talking animals, elves, princesses, and sorcerers. He wins the friendship of a wise old neighbor, a quick talking mouse, and a beautiful princess. Max even wins in his battle against an evil villain. More importantly, however, he matures as a person. While the overall message of this film is positive, certain caution is appropriate when deciding to allow impressionable children to view it.
Max Magician and the Legend of the Rings is a captivating production about dramatic changes that occur to transform a timid boy into a confident young man. The story starts with Max having moved to a new neighborhood and beginning classes at a new school. He has few friends and it taunted and even chased by school bullies.
Max is captivated with magic, and that captivation wins him the attention of a friendly neighbor. The neighbor, Mr. Tim, gives Max a magical gift, an ancient book that holds secrets that will propel Max from his pretend world of magic to a world where magic truly exists.
Max travels back and forth from his real life world to the magical world of the Blue Bell Forest, a world inhabited by talking animals and by a beautiful princess whose family is tormented by the evil Dagda. Dagda is a grotesque being obsessed with the desire to acquire the magical rings that are owned by the princess and her family. The princess enlists Max's help in the fight against Dagda and his warriors.
Max is at first overwhelmed by the princess' expectations. With the help of Krimble, a talking mouse that that accompanies Max back and forth from the Blue Bell Forest to Max's real life world, Max finds a master magician that helps him refine his magical skills so that he can provide the help that has been requested. In the process Max matures not only in his role in the Blue Bell Forest but also in his role back at home and in his new school.
There are certain considerations that should be made when deciding if Max Magician is appropriate for your child. The story depicts a significant degree or fighting, fighting involving the use of staffs and other weapons. At times the language is not appropriate for very impressionable children. Max uses phrases such as "I need to kick his teeth in", for example, when he seeks guidance from his friendly neighbor as to how to deal with the school bully. Krimble the mouse is certainly cute but his quip for Max's mother to "give me some sugar baby" when the mother is tucking Max in for the night with Krimble safely hidden away in Max's pajama pocket might be interpreted as crass. There are several other examples of where the story line would have benefited from a more careful choice of words.
In all Max Magician extends a positive message to young children. That message is that through perseverance and internal strength one can overcome all odds. Several positive messages are delivered throughout the film, in fact. Mr. Tim, for example, continually emphasizes that "violence is not always the answer" and "true strength comes from within". At the same time, however, the story introduces the concept of using magic to overcome problems, a concept that adults know is invalid but with which small children might become overly preoccupied. The intended message of Max Magician, of course, is that "if you believe in yourself anything is possible." Unfortunately, that message sometimes gets buried by the action and by somewhat questionable portions of dialogue.
