This is a marvelous story about an older sister looking out for and protecting her brother. It was inspired by older classics, an homage to Star Wars, Jurassic Park, and Gladiator. One scene will remind the viewer of Princess Leia and R2-D2, another features a couple of main characters driving by Jurassic Jungle, and still another features combatants in an arena.
We get a brother and sister who start out as live-action characters only to become animated, and they find themselves thrust into a world with dangers lurking in every corner.
Think in terms of Lego-like characters when wondering what the animation is like. And what’s totally cool is the movie deals in a positive way about a difficult situation to deal with–death–by showing characters going forward with their lives following the loss of loved ones. The sad moments are, thankfully, brief and the pace is fast. Action, action, action is what we get with this flick!
While visiting a game room, the two main characters, Marla and her brother Charlie, are transported to a magical yet dangerous world. Marla, while in the live-action world, longed to get a stamp in her passport. She is soon to get more than she bargained for. There are villains aplenty, Vikings, other warriors, and interesting animals too, and Maria must rescue Charlie after he gets turned into a Viking.
Forgiveness is one of the nice themes that is incorporated into the story. The adventures place them in various time periods, including richly detailed places of old. Upbeat songs are also a part of the mix, which, like the animation, are well done. There are laughs aplenty too.
The Dove Take:
This is a fun watch, a fast-paced ride into a world of magic and possibilities but with a few menacing villains thrown in to keep it interesting. We are pleased to award the movie our Dove Seal for All Ages.