The Secret Kingdom

Saved by the Ending, Dragged by the Dialogue

The Secret Kingdom tries so hard to summon that NeverEnding Story magic, but it swings with the earnest desperation of Casey at the bat... and misses just as hard. Like, ball's in the bleachers and Casey's spinning in the dirt.

From the outset, you can tell it wants to be a fantastical childhood quest with heart and depth. What we actually get is a CGI pangolin, magical rock politics, and dialogue so wooden I half-expected termites in the credits.

MVP? Verity. The little sister is the only one with real personality. She's the soul of the movie, even if the script hands her the occasional clunker. The rest of the cast is serviceable, but trapped in archetypes so thin they could be blown away by a sigh.

Runner-up? The kids going on a quest in their pajamas. Genuinely charming. Big Bedknobs and Broomsticks energy, or Arthur Dent in Narnia. It's the only time the movie brushes against whimsy and doesn't pull back in fear.

Production values are fine. Acting's decent. Worldbuilding feels like someone flipped open a fantasy name generator and called it lore. Plot? Bland. Stakes? Artificial. But...

...the ending. Somehow, miraculously, it lands. It made me feel something, and not just rage at wasted potential. It doesn't justify the full runtime, but it salvages the wreckage and sends you out on a grace note instead of a groan.

Final verdict: a film that tries way too hard, stumbles most of the way, but sticks the landing well enough to earn a polite golf clap.

Wouldn't recommend to everyone, but not a total waste either. I would not watch it again.

I watched this with my 7 and 9 year old kids, I have to say WOW!. We absolutely loved it!

The visuals are amazing and the story hits out of the blue. I initially felt it started a little slowly as the kids just wanted to see the creatures but the story establishes itself with some things that really hit home later. Once the characters fall into the underground world it really gets going and there really is so much to look at. The visuals and the story are a lot bigger than what is shown in the trailers I saw. And Its Australian film! This is up there with anything you will see. It's a great adventure with a sweet story that prompted some thoughtful family conversation afterwards. Highly recommended.

The comedy team "The Chaser" once said that we should preface all reviews of Australian films with "For an Australian Movie". Sadly, even with that preface, this movie still isn't good. Primarily, I really struggled with the acting which sounded like a crew from a local theatre group doing their first play. Special mention to the first scene in the curio shop, where the owner manages around 5 different accents in one line of dialogue! Surprisingly, the two child characters were actually some of the better actors. To be fair to the actors however, the script did them no favours with some painfully cheesy dialogue and scenes that were a collection of fantasy "the chosen one" tropes.

However it wasnt all awful, the CGI was solid and it had some sparks of fun especially in the second act of the movie early in the underground. It feels like a movie with significant potential that is never quite reached.

If you are at a loose end for an OK family movie and don't have many alternatives, then give the Secret Kingdom a try.. My kids (7 and 11) definitely enjoyed it more than the adults did.

I don't know why these low ratings and reviews, it's a good movie for kids and adults Is the reason for these low ratings that the movie did not contain the agenda of modernity and that it was kids movie that was innocent of everything they wanted to push us for?

The movie is not without flaws, but it was never a bad movie I loved it and recommend watching it Much better than many of the children's films produced by big production companies, which are no longer innocent films Very good film for the family to enjoy, Very good film for the family to enjoy, Very good film for the family to enjoy,

This is a kid's film. The CGI and special effects are good. The story has a fine moral-- about overcoming trauma and fear. It's not too full of itself, it's not silly, and the characters are enjoyable. I especially like the actress who played the sister; she did a fine job. The brother's acting seemed a little off, but he was playing the part of a child who was traumatized. Difficult part to play.

Adults should not watch a children's film and then rate it as if it's supposed to be for adults. This is for children. It's designed to catch and hold the attention of children, and hopefully teach them something in the process. This does so. To rate it 1 star or say it's the worst film ever is ridiculous and fueled more by ego and attitude than balanced reviewing. For the purpose it is intended, the film does well enough.