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Kazaam
Metascore
24 out of 100

Generally unfavorable - based on 14 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 14
  3. Negative: 9 out of 14
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  1. San Francisco Examiner
    Reviewed by: David Armstrong
    50
    The movie is decidedly old-fashioned, aiming to send kids and their parents out of the theater feeling good about themselves.
  2. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Susan Wloszczyna
    50
    Pure wish-fulfillment for Shaq-watchers who can't get enough of their 7-foot-1 basketball hero. [17 July 1996, p. 9D]
    All this critic's reviews
  3. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Staff (Not credited)
    40
    It's probably just passable for children, but adolescents won't sit still for this bland mixture of mediocre jokes and soft-core action.
  4. Variety
    Reviewed by: Godfrey Cheshire
    40
    With its uneven mix of comedy, melodrama and action, pic will need all the help Shaq's name and a rap soundtrack can provide.
  5. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Esther Iverem
    40
    Alas, the movie's producers could use a genie of their own. Surely, if granted three wishes, they could have produced a better film.
  6. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    38
    As for Shaquille O'Neal, given his own three wishes the next time, he should go for a script, a director and an interesting character.
  7. The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
    Reviewed by: Liam Lacey
    38
    Is Kazaam racist? In effect, yes. But it'sracism linked to bad marketing: You can't really mix a black-pride rap film with a revamped version of "Free Willie" and expect them to magically jibe.
  8. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Owen Gleiberman
    33
    It takes the movie all of 15 minutes to descend into sub-Spielbergian banalities about poor Max's search for his absentee dad.
  9. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Jack Mathews
    30
    The odd truth is that the film's novice star is better than the material.
  10. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Lawrence Van Gelder
    30
    Memo to Shaquille O'Neal: Don't give up your night job.
  11. Christian Science Monitor
    Reviewed by: David Sterritt
    25
    The plot is hamstrung by trite formulas, and there's too much violence and family tension for very young viewers. Shaquille O'Neal is likable as the title character, though.
  12. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Mick LaSalle
    25
    Original enough to come up with new ways to go wrong. For one, the film is a blatant showcase to promote O'Neal as a rap artist.
  13. ReelViews
    Reviewed by: James Berardinelli
    25
    This is as witless as movies come -- an unamusing, moronic blend of horrible acting and inept screenwriting.
  14. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Marjorie Baumgarten
    0
    It's full of special effects that are big on smoke and noise, but short on logic and payoff.
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User Reviews

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User Score
5.4 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 18 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 2 out of 5
  1. HaroldW.
    9
    Entertaining fable for kids, and not at all "dark" ( as some critics said it was) by present day standards and sensibilities.
  2. asdfa.
    0
    Ok, so I can't tell if Ryan, and Connor K. and Jake are being sardonic, but i really hope they are cuz this is just a terrible movie. But, if u love marijuana and stupid funny movies (which i do) this is definitely a 10.… Full Review »
  3. PabloR.
    0
    This movie is not merely a waste of time; it has also caused me to lose the ability to have children. Shaq should stick to missing freethrows and fouling people, rather than trying to act in any capacity and thus costing people the ability to reproduce.… Full Review »
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