What do you do if you're a twelve year old boy, dumped by your dad at your uncle's place in a remote Irish village by the sea? Well, you go explore, naturally. And in "Secret Of The Cave", said exploration takes the form of investigating mysterious random acts of kindness by person, angel, or ghost unknown, that somehow relates to a nearby cave that is haunted, according to the locals.
This film has a lot going for it. It is beautifully filmed, with some great scenery. That majestic cave entrance is breathtaking. And the cave interior looks reasonably authentic. The film's casting and acting are acceptable. And production design is great, especially the inside of the village shop.
Reminiscent of all those Nancy Drew mysteries, "Secret Of The Cave" is harmless, diversionary fun aimed mostly at kids. The quest is to find or to discover some hidden treasure or uncover some secret.
In this film there is no violence, no sex, no repellent four-letter words, by design, I'm sure, a factor important to the film's target audience. What I found marvelously refreshing was the absence, the total absence, of ... television. Not one single scene showed a TV set. Wonderful!
The main weakness of the film is the script. Plot contrivances and convenient coincidences propel the plot, early on. In addition, the lead character (Roy) seems too composed and restrained, given the turmoil between his mom and his dad. Further, I do think the story's underlying inspirational theme is a tad overplayed. A little bit of sporting rebellion or general chaos would have added a touch of realism to a story that excels at good intent.
Overall, "Secret Of The Cave" is a technically well made film, one that has both entertainment value for kids, and an uplifting moral theme, appreciated by adults and especially parents with "heartland" values.
This film has a lot going for it. It is beautifully filmed, with some great scenery. That majestic cave entrance is breathtaking. And the cave interior looks reasonably authentic. The film's casting and acting are acceptable. And production design is great, especially the inside of the village shop.
Reminiscent of all those Nancy Drew mysteries, "Secret Of The Cave" is harmless, diversionary fun aimed mostly at kids. The quest is to find or to discover some hidden treasure or uncover some secret.
In this film there is no violence, no sex, no repellent four-letter words, by design, I'm sure, a factor important to the film's target audience. What I found marvelously refreshing was the absence, the total absence, of ... television. Not one single scene showed a TV set. Wonderful!
The main weakness of the film is the script. Plot contrivances and convenient coincidences propel the plot, early on. In addition, the lead character (Roy) seems too composed and restrained, given the turmoil between his mom and his dad. Further, I do think the story's underlying inspirational theme is a tad overplayed. A little bit of sporting rebellion or general chaos would have added a touch of realism to a story that excels at good intent.
Overall, "Secret Of The Cave" is a technically well made film, one that has both entertainment value for kids, and an uplifting moral theme, appreciated by adults and especially parents with "heartland" values.