Chris Mitchum and Lauren Tewes need some quality time together without the kids so they decide to pack the two kids off to his brother in Los Angeles.
Brother Stephen Furst is an agent, fallen on hard times, and owing some really heavy bread to the local syndicate boss for some foolishly placed wagers on some sporting events. The last thing he needs is these two kids to be saddled with.
The kids, Ted Jan Roberts and Shonda Whipple, have their different interests and ideas about Tinseltown that they've developed from what they hear in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Young Ted is a juvenile kick-boxing champion, his hero is martial arts champion and now film actor, Don 'The Dragon' Wilson. His sister may be from Michigan, but her ideas definitely come from The Valley and she just wants to meet her soap opera hunk crush, Jason Iorg.
With syndicate boss Joe Campanella and his less than sharp nephew Billy Hufsey chasing them, the uncle and his relations have little time to rest. But of course it does all work out in the end.
Stephen Furst was both funny and had pathos in his character, young Ted Jan Roberts if not the world's greatest actor did come across as sincere in his part. Shonda Whipple though kind of spoiled the film for me. This is a kid's film so I don't expect Shakespeare or O'Neill here, but her Valley Girl character was too too much. I can't believe how dumb this one is in the face of all the dangers manifesting themselves around her and her relations. All she wants to do is party and meet her sex object. As Snagglepuss used to say, "YOIKES."
Magic Kid is a pleasant enough film for kids and for martial arts fans, but I don't think it has any appeal beyond those two targeted audiences.
