The Quest

'The Quest' is how this Australian production is named in the USA. In Australia it is titled 'Frog Dreaming'. In the UK it was ridiculously called 'The Go-Kids'. For me, the most appropriate title is 'Frog Dreaming' (it's the one which identifies most with it) but 'The Quest' also suits it well.

The star of this movie is Henry Thomas. There's no denying that he was much more than just "Elliott". He was a very capable actor and one of the few child actors who grew up without trashing his life and that is one thing that I admire on him.

Henry Thomas is Cody, a very determined boy with a strong will for adventure. So determined and adventurous that he doesn't hesitate to take great risks to find the mystery of the monster-like thing on a dangerous and creepy pond, even if that implies disobeying orders or advices.

While the movie is predictable, it is entertaining and has a great deal of adventure. Henry Thomas, once again, offers a great performance (here as an adolescent and with an already changed voice).

What enchanted me the most was the beauty of the exotic Australian scenario, all natural settings and a reminder of the healthy habits and adventures kids had back in the good old days, a completely different reality from today's deplorable habits and ideas of "fun".

This is much more of an adventure movie but it also has some dark and sinister moments, which are creepier for being at night.

Yes, this movie was peculiar. Yes, the plot was sort of strange and a bit difficult to follow the first time around ... that is why we watched it many times !

The boy is a great inventor, and goes exploring strange things in this lake... and I thought the movie was just very mysterious and exciting as a kid.

I just thought I would put out this little review, as the other voter quite disliked it, heh. I thought it was superb !

Let me start by saying it has been about 8 or 9 years since I last saw the Quest, but I still remember it fondly.

Henry Thomas, soon after his performance as "Elliot" in E.T., finds himself living with relatives in Australia after his parents pass on. He soon begins to investigate a local legend called the "Dahnk-a-gin" (or something like that...), a fierce loch-ness-monster style beast living in an old quarry that has been flooded.

As a child, I was always very inquisitive and imaginative, and loved to explore old buildings and creepy places, so this movie appealed to me greatly. The area surrounding the flooded quarry is littered with scrap metal, beat up shacks, and a cool broken down 50's car that just call to the exploring spirit.

During some scenes, Henry rides the railroad using a modified bicycle that could lock onto the railroad tracks... start pedaling, and off you go! I always wanted one of those...

Anyway, check out the Quest, and see if it doesn't sweep you up in it's imaginative spell!

I got an IMDb account specifically to review this movie; if that tells you anything. Before the internet existed, and then before torrents become viable, I had no luck finding it after watching it once as a rental; the other "The Quest" kept getting in my way. I spent a lot of time searching for a copy of this. It's difficult to explain the movie to people who aren't familiar with it, and the premise isn't so hot on paper. Objectively, it's not an AAA title, but it just might be my favorite film. There is a mythic quality to it; some primeval fascination - from the standpoint of an evolutionary biologist, I would say that there was good reason for our ancestors to pay a lot of attention to strange bubbles and ripples in the water, and perhaps for that reason, the mystery at the heart of this movie is eerie and compelling. Dreamlike is the best word for this movie - it doesn't make a great deal of sense, but it is invested with some cryptic and deeply felt meaning; like a strange recurring dream.

Structurally it really is similar to both E.T., the Goonies and in a way Stand By Me; it has a little bit of star wars to it in terms of feel and aesthetic. The setting, the music, and the strange little premise take it away from those more familiar reference points and into a very strange place.

It's been many years since I've seen this movie but I'm working on making it a part of my collection. Basically, there's an eerie, spooky, creepy pond that perks a boy's curiosity. The boy, Cody, starts investigating an old legend about "Donkegin" and/or "frog dreamings," all this I don't quite remember but I do remember certain parts as being incredibly intriguing. As a kid, and even today, I've always been fascinated with lakes and ponds, always wondering what's at the bottom. I believe they even get some underwater footage at some point when Cody wears an old-fashioned dive suit! This is an excellent adventure movie that's great for the whole family! Highly recommended!