Swallows and Amazons

How sad that someone's sensitivities (who's?) were considered so important that Titania's original name was changed to 'Tatty' for this film. The character's name is Titty, and has been since 1930 - a very long time - and I consider that the producers should be ashamed of themselves for giving in on such an insignificant matter. Do they not know the expression 'to Roger someone'? Do they not know what a 'John' is in certain societies? Where does all this lunacy stop?

Perhaps the film lacks the intensity of modern, CGI, 'shoot 'em up' films, but the pleasure should lie in the bucolic idealism that Ransome illustrated in all his books. Oh, and the basics of how to sail, alongside other matters naval and historical. Fortunately interest in such activities remains high and will probably remain so for the next few centuries, unlike passing fads passed off as 'entertainment' but actually merely being another vehicle for profit.

It is hard to say which is the better 'Swallows and Amazons' film between this and the 1974 film. Neither are without their flaws, both are in fact pretty problematic, but both have great charm and there are a number of strengths with both.

As an adaptation, it is understandable as to why some may like the 1974 film more. While lacking Ransome's evocative way of writing, which gave it a blandness, there is more of a gentle and nostalgic feel in that film than here, which is very loyal in spirit to Ransome's storytelling. Plus the production values and the music are wonderful, the main theme in the music being the most memorable element of the whole film and a pretty unforgettable theme in its own right. This said, the film did drag in places, due to some uneventful narrative, and had a miscast Roger (too gormless) and Nancy (too old and too posh), as well as Ronald Fraser overacting pretty badly.

This said, despite having its fair shares of alterations and feeling at times on the muddled side, it is easy to see why more modern audiences will like this more. The characters are more interesting in the source material certainly, and there are additions and omissions or things that are there but could have been done better. Generally, 'Swallows and Amazons' (2016) does a laudable job making a great story suitable for film and even more so maintaining the gentle and nostalgic essence in the scenes with the children and trying to give the pacing more snap and urgency.

Of course, not everything in 'Swallows and Amazons' is entirely smooth sailing. The spy subplot has been criticised by some here and for reasons that are understandable, and an opinion shared by me. Tonally, with the action being significantly intensified, it clashed too much with the rest of the story, there was too much of it and it made some of the story feel muddled. The script does feel awkward and repetitive too often, and it was sad that Susan's character is just so bland and with not much personality due to her being very underwritten.

'Swallows and Amazons' however is a treat to watch visually, being beautifully shot with even more splendid scenery. The music score soars thrillingly yet with also gentle playfulness, the element feeling and sounding the most cinematic. This said, while it is an excellent score nothing is quite as unforgettable as the main theme of the 1974 film.

Where 'Swallows and Amazons' scores with much more success in the storytelling is in the scenes with the children, which do feel natural in chemistry and are gentle without being overly-genteel or mawkish and quaintly nostalgic. That was a huge part of the charm with the source material and previous film version, so it was a joy for that essence to translate here also and so strongly. The direction does more than capably.

Regarding the acting, it was good, although Orla Hill isn't able to do anything with severely wanting material as Susan. Bobby McCulloch and Seren Hawkes prove to be much better casting as Roger and Nancy than in the 1974 film, Roger is not an annoying character this time and Hawkes is more age-appropriate and doesn't look as out of place in the setting. Rafe Spall's Uncle Jim is much more subtle than before, while of the children delightful Teddie-Rose Malleson-Allen is particularly strong. Kelly MacDonald is a charming mother figure, while Andrew Scott shows that he excels at playing villains and Jessica Stevenson and Harry Enfield portray the Jacksons well (was surprised at how well Enfield fitted).

Overall, 'Swallows and Amazons' is laudably brought to film in a problematic but worthwhile adaptation, that is best enjoyed as a standalone. 7/10 Bethany Cox

This rainy day emergency activity last weekend turned out to be the best decision of the holidays. Based on the Arthur Ransome classic with a slightly altered plot, it was a bit slow to get started, but once the main family arrive in the lakes the kids' adventure begins and my two were on the edge of their seats.

The scenery is breathtaking (without any special effects) and for the kids the sense of a REAL adventure must be inspiring. The Walker family children (Swallows) are allowed to go and camp on an island in the middle of a lake and basically fend for themselves. Once on the island it becomes clear that they're not alone and soon war is declared with two local pirate girls (Amazons). The kids catch fish, play with fire, shoot bows and arrows. There is no need to add superheroes or special effects, real life is adventurous enough.

There are some great funny moments, a couple of which had the whole audience in stitches.

Thoroughly recommended, even if it's not raining!!

This is a perfect summer film for the families that produced by the BBC. Based on the children's book of the same name. Frankly, I haven't seen the television nor the film adaptation of this. It looked very fresh to me, so I enjoyed it thoroughly. I'm a big fan of children's films and this one reminded my childhood vacation in the grandparents' rural. Surely everybody, I mean most of us had this kind of adventure, sometimes that ended very seriously.

This is mainly about a group of children and their summer adventure, especially sailing in a large lake and exploring an uninhabited island of it. Mrs Walker brings her four children to their grandparents' house in a small English village. The bored kids decide to go sailing on the lake nearby where their father promised to take them one day, but now he's out in the sea far away on the job. Somehow they manage to get permission from the elders and so their adventure begins.

They arrive on the island and claim it. But another group who already claimed it challenges them. So their rivalry begins which leads to some great adventures, day and night. How things going to work between them is told in the remaining. Though there are more that takes place alternatively, like the real spy-game of the grown- ups. How these two stories going to meet was revealed with a decent twist. But the thriller parts were compromised since the film is aimed for the little ones.

"I hereby name it Walker Island and claim it for our own."

Great quality, loved the production. The locations were awesome. Initially I thought this will going to take place in the real Amazon, Brasil, but still I'm satisfied with it. I don't know who is this director, but a well done job. I also don't know whether the story is from the book or just the characters, but expecting a sequel and if possible a film series. I'm not expecting the whole 12 books to be made into films, thought at least a trilogy, since it's a live-action and the kids would grow up fast, they have to hurry up like they did for 'Harry Potter' film series.

The story takes place in the summer 1935 and its atmospheres, especially the addition of the spy thing was a smart move as those times were tensed with the early stage of the World War II. Its stretch also gives the adults a reason to watch the film, but sadly that sub-plot was under-used. Anyway, I recommend it to all, since it falls into PG. But there was a scene when the kids decided to go find the source of the fire they saw afar, that part was so edgy. Like that, there are a few more which creates uneasy in the perspective of kids.

Overall the film looks like a non-magical version of Narnia with four siblings and their exploration turned into an unplanned adventure. Yep, it's not summer yet, off the season, but still I loved it. This is one of the first films to I watch in the 2017, but definitely first children's film. On so many levels, it was a very good film, particularly if you haven't seen the other versions like me and a kid's film fan, you will have a good time. But for the families, as I said earlier, it is not to be missed. It got mixed to positive response from both the film critics and the movie goers, but personally I think it's much better than what they have said. So go for it...

7/10

...we're adding a whole new plot"

That's always a sign that a production is heading for disaster. If you think the book isn't exciting, don't use it; find some other material. If you think you don't have the ability to convey to an audience what you find exciting about it, find another career.

'Swallows and Amazons' works as a book - and still does, nearly 90 years after it was written - precisely because it is concerned only with the children and their doings. No adult POV is included to give us a perspective on the children's outlook, their emotions and imaginative world; we only see what matters to them and we see it with their eyes. This makes perfect sense to children, and it takes adults back to our own childhood when we too found our own fantasy games far more important and meaningful than anything adults did. I couldn't see how a subplot about 'real' 1930s Soviet spies could possibly be introduced into the plot without making the children's pirate adventures and sea battles seem suddenly trivial and, well, childish.

And sadly, that's exactly what happens. Philippa Lowthorpe works hard to create a sense of danger and excitement in the childhood adventure of unaccompanied sailing, and camping on an island, and very nice too. But the effort is pointless when you throw in real gun-toting nasties kidnapping people and chasing them along trains; that just makes the children's 'pirate wars' fantasy look piffling and tiresome.

A real pity. You wonder why they bothered, and why anybody didn't advise them not to.