Wendy Rogers’ The Magician’s Elephant is an animated fairy tale with an inspiring message that will have audiences smiling from beginning to end.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jan 7, 2025

The Magician’s Elephant doesn’t have a compelling story; the predictable outcome is a bit disappointing. It’s a family-friendly animated movie that is most likely to resonate with younger audiences.

| Sep 8, 2023

It may not cast a huge spell on you but will leave you slightly enchanted with its make-believe charm.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 14, 2023

Parts of it are a bit clunky and the animation feels somewhat cheap at times, but The Magician’s Elephant is nonetheless an enjoyable diversion that stays true to the essence of DiCamillo’s novel while also forging its own path.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Mar 27, 2023

The Magician's Elephant is maybe a bit safe and frictionless compared to the novel, which occasionally takes a turn towards darkness and loss. But, as a way to share some time with the kids on the couch, we have all seen far worse.

| Mar 24, 2023

The Magician’s Elephant is a lost potential that took something that could’ve been a timeless fairy tale and poorly handled the adaptation process by turning it into a mediocre and forgettably dated film.

| Original Score: 5/10 | Mar 24, 2023

Its storybook symbolism and gentle, but substantive subject matter open the door to contemplative discussions about some of life’s harsher realities, without being inaccessible to younger viewers.

| Mar 23, 2023

This feels like [a knockoff], except there isn't anything in particular it's knocking off.

| Mar 21, 2023

The Magician’s Elephant casts a beautiful and emotional spell.

| Mar 21, 2023

The Magician's Elephant is an interesting fantasy film that takes its time to warm up. While Peter comes off as a lackluster protagonist for the first half of his journey, he eventually finds his bearings, and the film becomes a decent watch from there.

| Original Score: 7/10 | Mar 20, 2023

The Magician’s Elephant is heartwarming and pure. And while predictable to a fault, it is a film the whole family will enjoy.

| Mar 19, 2023

“The Magician’s Elephant” is a well-produced and easygoing addition to the genre.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 18, 2023

Despite the glowing cast, it’s a shame a film that speaks so highly of magic can’t generate much in terms of its artistry.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Mar 18, 2023

The Magician’s Elephant is an endearing, whimsical tale about one boy's quest to find his lost sister & the town he inspires to believe in magic.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 17, 2023

From a script that lacks any warmth or spark, a meandering narrative, and animation that is distracting, rather than engaging, The Magician’s Elephant doesn’t succeed in capturing the imagination.

| Original Score: 4.5/10 | Mar 17, 2023

As far as fairy tales go, this one is pretty simple, and that definitely lends to the film's overall charm.

| Original Score: 86/100 | Mar 17, 2023

Nothing ever really meshes, giving the movie a split personality that seems doomed to bore viewers, young and old, during the “serious” parts.

| Original Score: 5.9/10 | Mar 17, 2023

The human characters are fairly standard, but the title pachyderm is designed with enough realism to bring emotional and believable physical weight to the story.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Mar 17, 2023

A charming family film with a hopeful message at the heart.

| Original Score: B+ | Mar 17, 2023

It’s not that this film does anything wrong – it’s that it doesn’t really do much of anything at all.

| Original Score: C+ | Mar 17, 2023