My daughter saw this at the theater with friends and recommended it for weekend family viewing on Netflix. She has decent taste in films, I think, preferring the intellectual over the typical inane kid stuff. Still, I was surprised at how much I loved this film.
It's part action film and part allegory, with a number of surprising features all wrapped up in a story within a story.
The visuals are stunning. At least a half dozen times, I found myself taken aback by the angles or sweeping motion the director chose. There's something satisfyingly symmetrical about the camera work. The locations are gorgeous and so is the cast, but none of it is so pretty that it feels unrealistic.
Although it doesn't feel low-budget, the movie has a hint of indie film about it. It reminds us that acting and writing are hard work. Although you can see some of the seams occasionally, it is a pleasant reminder of the hard work that goes into making a dream like this a reality.
And even if a few ideas in the film hearken back to other stories, none of it feels derivative.
I read a few other reviews before posting this, and saw that one poster thought that it was a racist portrayal of colonialism. Having watched the film, I'd say that is a bias that poster must see in many facets of life - you're bound to find hatred and condescension anywhere you look, if you're determined to find it. I saw no hint of it in this film. As for being reminded that God loves you, no matter what - I couldn't imagine that message ever becoming too prevalent in kids' films.
All in all, well worth the 97 minutes, and worth a second viewing, as well.
It's part action film and part allegory, with a number of surprising features all wrapped up in a story within a story.
The visuals are stunning. At least a half dozen times, I found myself taken aback by the angles or sweeping motion the director chose. There's something satisfyingly symmetrical about the camera work. The locations are gorgeous and so is the cast, but none of it is so pretty that it feels unrealistic.
Although it doesn't feel low-budget, the movie has a hint of indie film about it. It reminds us that acting and writing are hard work. Although you can see some of the seams occasionally, it is a pleasant reminder of the hard work that goes into making a dream like this a reality.
And even if a few ideas in the film hearken back to other stories, none of it feels derivative.
I read a few other reviews before posting this, and saw that one poster thought that it was a racist portrayal of colonialism. Having watched the film, I'd say that is a bias that poster must see in many facets of life - you're bound to find hatred and condescension anywhere you look, if you're determined to find it. I saw no hint of it in this film. As for being reminded that God loves you, no matter what - I couldn't imagine that message ever becoming too prevalent in kids' films.
All in all, well worth the 97 minutes, and worth a second viewing, as well.