Benji und das Geheimnis des Kartografen

The Mercator Trail never stood a chance. A young adult film based on a tv series from the 60s that nobody under the age of 55 has ever seen. An older audience will be immediately turned off by the excessive use of technology and the complete reworking of the Zeppos myth. A younger audience will be turned off by the fact that it's based on a show their grandparents used to watch.

A shame really: If director Douglas Boswell (who made the excellent and similar Labyrinthus) had only removed the Zeppos moniker he would have gotten a fine adventure picture. Part Dan Brown mystery / part Indiana Jones. Carry Goosens was inspired casting for the role of Zeppos and Koen De Bouw is clearly having a ball as the baddie of the show. I'm not so convinced by our leading man Nathan Naenen who seems to have gone to the Rupert Grint school of acting. Anyway, The Mercator Trail deserves a chance- it's good clean family entertainment with something in it for all. Oh, and the post credits sting...all I can say is: A shame that it's not gonna happen!