"The Wiz" by Philip Phillips
Suggested Retail USD$20.00
Available direct from World Magic Shop
In a Blink: 4 Out of 10

"The Wiz". a utility gimmick by Philip Phillips designed specifically for "The Wizard PK Ring", is a great idea that suffers badly from being impractical and a handling that is unnatural.

That's a shame, because "The Wiz" really is clever (you can check out the demo video here). I kinda got attached to the little sucker when I took it out of the box. But then reality hit me.

First, forget about using "The Wiz" with anything but the smallest of objects -- really small objects. Also forget about liquids or loose items: whatever you use pretty much has to stay stuck in "The Wiz" until you're ready for it to come out (or go away). That hurts a lot right there.

Then you get to the angles. There are serious angle problems here, pretty much making it for a straight-on performance for a couple of people. That hurts for those that want something to use in a more demanding environment. Think Cellini's "looped ball" or Meir Yedid's "Now-U-See-It-Now-U-Don't" and you'll get the idea here.

Finally, you get to the handling. The necessary moves to utilize "The Wiz" look odd. The first time I watched the DVD, I rewound and watched the performance section again because I thought something had been edited. It hadn't (in fact, the demo clip is straight from the DVD); it just looks like it had. Or, to put it plainly, the handling looks like something is up exactly when it is and the gimmick is exactly what it looks like it has to be with that handling. Arguably worse, the handling also limits the objects you use, so it's a double-whammy just waiting to happen.

All of that makes "The Wiz" entirely too limited in scope to be that useful or that utilitarian.

It's at this point you expect the DVD to come to the rescue and show you just how wonderful this little gizmo is. That doesn't happen here. You're given the handling (which is well explained, I'll say that) but the only ideas you're given are the three you instantly have as soon as you see the gimmick: a sponge ball appearance (small sponge ball, please), an appearance of a very small silk (which we're told looks much bigger to a spectator -- I don't see how, but I'll play along), and as a mini flash pot. That's it. No "all the tools and ideas you need to come up with your own amazing applications" as the ad says. From that point forward, you're on your own.

And that was the nail in the coffin for "The Wiz" as far as I'm concerned. It's simply too impractical, too limited in scope, to be that useful.

The question is asked on the back of the DVD box, "Who needs a thumbtip?" Evidently, we still do; "The Wiz" doesn't come close to being that practical or that flexible in its use.

"The Wiz" by Philip Phillips
In a Blink: 4 Out of 10

Practicality: 3
You've got some serious angle problems here and anything you work with is going to have to be very small. Reseting is going to depend on what you want to do with it which, frankly, isn't going much due to the size restriction. All in all, it's just not practical.

Workmanship: 10
The device is well made, that's for sure, and works wonderfully. Big thumbs up here.

Documentation: 5
The documentation, on DVD, is good enough to get you going with "The Wiz", but it would have been nice to see all these ballyhooed things you can do with it instead of the three rather mundane things.

Effect: 3
Ouch. That handling hurts this one badly. It looks like just what it is and doesn't fool spectators as much as we would like to believe it does.

Presentation: 3
You're on your own, ideas are scarce, and its use is marred by the handling. Still, someone somewhere is going to find a use for it -- someday.


Shane