True Heart (1999) User Reviews

Good light entertainment

[AnnieBlackburn · 6/10 · 8 October 2007]

I thought this was a pretty good adventure flick. Not for everyone, but it was an entertaining midday movie if nothing more.

This movie is definitely more for kids and families. Some of the elements verge on magical (which has got some of the commenters on this site up in arms but I think the point is to suspend your disbelief: it's an adventure flick for children), morality is the primary focus and the line between good and evil is clearly defined.

Basically it's the story of how 2 children, Bonnie and Sam, find their way to safety after their plane crashes in the wilderness helped by nature-loving wilderness-man Khonanesta and hindered by a group of greedy, selfish poachers with guns. The kids sort of find themselves in the middle of an existing battle over the bears.

There are a few moral issues raised, which is standard and I think appropriate for the target audience. The conservation of nature vs the greed of the poachers (who are clearly defined as "bad guys" from the get-go). Acceptance and looking beyond first impressions are major themes - the kids have to learn to trust Khonanesta who seems strange to them at first (they also have to trust the bear to a degree). There is also an ongoing moral sub-plot about how they can't let go of the memory of their dead father and have a strong resentment towards their stepfather which Khonanesta tries to help them resolve.

Kirsten Dunst is always good, and always seems to have a knack for action/adventure- which this movie is certainly equal parts of. The Home Improvement kid was pretty stilted, didn't seem to really make much of his character which made parts of the script drag. Their relationship could have been more convincing. The Khonanesta character was a bit clichéd, they could have done better here.

If you're looking for gritty realism you won't find it here, but if that's the case get outta the family section and grab something based on a true story. If you're after a story of hope and courage - family style - then you're on the right track with this one.

badly written

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 1 July 2017]

Siblings Bonnie (Kirsten Dunst) and Sam (Zachery Ty Bryan) are flying to Vancouver on a small plane when it crashes. They survive and is found by Khonanesta, a native protector of the bears. He warns them of bad men, poachers out killing bears. He guides them to a nearby logging camp but are constantly hunted by the poachers.

The basic problem is that the poachers have no reason to kill or kidnap the kids at the beginning. The story has to be written better. Khonanesta might be better as a guardian spirit. It's that unreal and it would be more compelling. The poachers don't make sense. Then the cops and parents arrive. Nobody really makes much sense. They barely have a gun between them as they ride into the woods full of armed poachers. The guns always jam as the poachers get mauled by the bear. It's just a lot of bad writing.

15-year-old Kirsten does a nice job

[BilPinAla · 5/10 · 22 September 2020]

Kirsten was 15 when she starred in this and shows her acting chops at this tender age. Great Canadian scenery is the real "star' and makes one wonder how they hauled all the rigs thru those mountains! A feel-good story with a feel-good ending. So, why not just enjoy it with your claws withdrawn. The Native actor, Mister August Schellenberger (he's half Mohawk), has a resume as long as the Empire State building is tall....and just as impressive. R.I.P., sir! A well-spent 90-somethng minutess....entertaining, for that's what movies are s'posed to do = entertain, eh, wot?

Pretty fine for me

[lovergirlpower · 9 September 2001]

I've seen True Heart on TV and I think it's fine. It is a family movie, and like most of family movies this one tries to give you moral values, and it's fun. It's pretty fine for me. I liked this movie because of the ecological sights and also because it's an innocent movie, good for kids. Kirsten Dunst is great as one of the lost kids in the forest.

The story is about two kids that have a plane accident. The plane crashes in a forest. After they find out the pilot was dead, they meet a native. This native and his friend bear help them to find the way back to civilization, but some hunters want to ruin their plans because they want to kill the bear. It's basically this. I give a 6 out of 10.

Poor Script, Poor Dialogue, Poor Acting. Avoid this.

[wizard-64 · 1/10 · 17 January 2005]

Contains Spoilers Sorry I can't see how this movie was ever green lighted.

I recognized a young Kirsten Dunst instantly. Written for very young viewers.

Anyone older than ten will not put up with this crap. The continuity is awful, with many things (like Khonanesta somehow escaping being locked up in a shed), never explained.

There is sloppy editing, lousy dialog, and poor acting to boot. Gunshot wounds that appear to bother the victims less than a mosquito bite. More than once, the poachers have a clean shot to kill the Kodiak, yet somehow fail to pull the trigger and let the bear attack them. The bear even chases 4 men with loaded rifles away from their camp. Hmm, come to think of it, if their gunshots were so ineffective, I would run too.

Kirsten Dunst leaves her jacket in one direction while they escape in another, only to kick up dirt and gravel in the opposite direction so they could easily be tracked.

A poacher shot with an arrow, in a scene that looks fatal, later re-appears later without a scratch. An old clue cloth (that looks plastic coated), with an insipid riddle that leads the way to a sacred Indian place.

Writer/director Cyran's script may have looked good on paper, but the low budget, poor acting and bad direction make this a film to avoid.

Interesting only to Kirsten Dunst enthusiasts (she looks very very young here) One Star

Saturday Afternoon Television Schlock

[iambilliam · 1/10 · 15 January 2005]

Terrible film. Horrible dialogue. The underlying message to protect the environment is annoying. And why is it that in every movie with a Native American in a lead role, he must act exactly like every other stereotyped Native American character ever portrayed. Filmmakers need to understand that Native Americans are people too, not just Mother Nature's inexorable minions out to save the earth from the evil poachers. Ughh. Catherine Cyran, the writer and director (whose other writing credits include Slumber Party Massacre III), must be another one of Mother Nature's minions trying to save the earth through her film-making. I don't mind a someone making a movie that speaks about the environment and the way some people hurt it. However, I feel Miss Cyran did not really want to tell the story of two lost children trying to get home. She just wanted to make a movie that supported her environmentalist viewpoints, and needed this plot to do it. The problem is the end result is not subtle. It is obvious and stilted. Hence my vote of 1.

truly awful acting but good message

[Lagirl80 · 2/10 · 19 January 2003]

kirsten dunst can't even save this movie with its wooden, awful acting... the two teenagers are truly ignorant of their surroundings and the plight of wildlife so what they doing there anyways?... they repeatedly do stupid things... it could have been really well done but is pretty much unwatchable except for the beautiful scenery and nice music... but that's just not enough to save it... good message for children and family time though...

Missed oppurtunity

[jrneptune · 6/10 · 17 February 2018]

The faults I see with the movie start at the beginning right away.

Missed opportunity to educate people on real life basic first aid skills. You don't slap around someone that is unconscious in a plane crash without checking that they are breathing, not bleeding and have not broken anything in their body. Nor did they check the pilot and the other person that was thrown from the aircraft.

I don't think making the assumption that poachers would look to do harm to people in a crashed plane is reasonable as well. There are some poachers that would help others in need when encountered but I'll leave that to the storyline.

Later in the movie some survival skills are explained and even some basic tracking skills which was nice to see but it was rare.

I question why a pit trap would have florescent tubes around it. .

The movie might be fine for younger kids kid below the age of 8 but I don't see why they would be exposed to it when there is probably better things they could be watching.

It was a good adventure story though...

[al_duke · 3/10 · 22 October 2012]

I saw True Heart a couple of weekends ago, and I must say that it was a good adventure story with great music. However, it's quite heavy-handed in its message of nature conservation. Kirsten Dunst and Zachary Ty Bryan were quite good in this one, as Bonnie and Sam, two siblings who survive a plane crash deep in the woods of BC, Canada. They learn how to survive the hazards of the forest with the help of the native woodsman, Konanesta; in the process, the two learn about the spirits of the woods' creatures, and they also learn about themselves, and their relationships with each other and with their parents. The lead poacher was just plain evil personified, complete with a hook for a hand! We also see the big grizzly bear emerge as the great hero of the movie. (Now, I couldn't get past the grizzly bear being referred to as a "Kodiak"; a Kodiak is a subspecies of grizzly that lives in Alaska.) Which brings me to the portrayal of Konanesta; he acted like the stereotypical Native American one sees in movies in many ways, like being one with "Grandfather Nature"; however, Konanesta looked less like a typical "Indian brave" and more like Sean Connery with a long ponytail. I more than half expected him to talk to Sam and Bonnie in that classic voice saying something like "You are at one with all living things. Each man's thoughts and dreams are yours to know. You have power beyond imagination. Use it well, my friend." But I digress; True Heart was still a good family adventure.

Genial family adventure

[sgmi-53579 · 5/10 · 9 June 2022]

Anchored by the performance of Kirsten Dunst and Zachary Ty Bryan, this plucky tween adventure provides solid after school thrills, with a good dollop of lessons on top. Lost in the wilderness, two kids find adventure, becoming involved in an illegal poaching scandal. Might provide nostalgia for kids raised during this era, and should still play well for current generations. Adults aren't apt to find a great deal to latch upon. Nice, but not much more. Never really lands where it aims. 5/10.

Inspiring, beautiful, fun film for children and adults

[fallfraust · 8/10 · 20 February 2010]

The reason True Heart doesn't get a ten is because it does simplify certain situations, which lower the films believability. However, this does not ruin the film, if you are the type of person that doesn't expect life to always show up as black or white. Also, given that young children are a part of its target audience, it makes sense not to make the stories events too involved. Children are great at using their imaginations to fill in the blanks, or at just accepting something at face value. So don't get stuck on the few moments in the film where moments are oversimplified. Instead, let yourself get lost in the amazing, beautiful scenery, and the mystical and magical undertones that leave you feeling inspired and hopeful about life, and the world. Yes, the Native American is slightly stereotyped, but look past that to his modeling of how to embrace, be respectful, patient, compassionate, passionate, reverent, graceful, courageous, kind and caring. As for the children, perhaps the heart on her sleeve, leaping in, openly passionate girl's character is easier to connect with, but the boy's character, with his closely held emotions, quiet passion, cautious - but still open to the world around him - exploration might be more interesting, if you give him a chance. If nothing else, they are a nice complement to each other... a good reminder of how different, yet similar we are as human beings. Go on, watch this film using your child-mind. View it from a place of curiosity, innocence, and imagination. You won't be sorry.

An entertaining family movie.

[pritch-3 · 23 June 2002]

This is an entertaining family movie, with gorgeous scenery and wonderful native music throughout. While the plot gets a little far-fetched in spots, it is still fun to watch. Kirsten Dunst turned in a terrific performance, and the subtle moral lesson is an added bonus.

My only real problem with this movie is the repeated reference to the Kodiak. This movie takes place in British Columbia, Canada, but the Kodiak Bear (a sub-species of the Brown or Grizzly Bear) is only found on the isolated Kodiak Island, Alaska.

Worthwhile family adventure romp

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 3 January 2022]

Siblings Bonnie (adorable Kirsten Dunst) and Sam (a solid performance by Zachary Ty Byran) must depend on Native Canadian Khonanesta (a fine and dignified portrayal by August Schellenberg) to help them survive in the wilderness after the pair survive a plane crash. Moreover, the trio must protect a Kodiak bear from a band of evil poachers.

Writer/director Catherine Cyran relates the absorbing story at a steady pace, maintains a serious sincere tone throughout, and makes nice use of the breathtaking sylvan scenery. Moreover, the way Khonanesta teaches the kids to appreciate life more and get closer to nature gives this picture some real heart. Michael Gross and Dey Young lend sturdy support as the concerned parents. A neat little movie.

good family adventure, but not for little ones, great scenery, good music too

[vchimpanzee · 13 January 2003]

Bonnie and Sam are teenagers in a plane flying across a mountainous wilderness (we're never told exactly where, but the mountains are too high to be in the eastern U.S.). The plane goes down and the adults in the plane appear to be dead, so they are left on their own until an old Indian finds them and offers to help them get back to civilization. He says they will need his help because of the bad men. It turns out there are poachers in the area, and the teens would have been in trouble without him. The kids offer to find help, once rescued, to do something about the poachers, but the Indian does not want help (we later learn one reason why this might be true). The Indian teaches the kids a lot about getting along in the wilderness, and rescues them from several dangerous situations (they also get to rescue him once or twice). We also learn that the teens are brother and sister, and that they lost their father. Their mother has remarried, and Bonnie in particular doesn't like their stepfather. Among other things, the Indian teaches the kids that they still have their father inside. Later, the Indian goes back to the plane without the kids, fearing that the people searching for the kids will encounter the poachers.

This was pretty good though it may not be a classic. August Schellenberg gave a fine performance as the Indian, though he talked like Tonto and that may offend some people (I assume this reflects a lack of contact with white people, since the Indian seems very intelligent). And I've liked Kirsten Dunst ever since she was a little girl in 'Little Women'; she didn't disappoint here. The scenery is magnificent, and wildlife shots quite good. The credits say nothing about animatronic bears but assure us animal action was carefully monitored so that no actual harm came to the bears. Some good work, then, was done with those bears. And the music was quite distinctive: nearly all of it sounded Native American or close to it, with some really good vocal performances in what sounded like Indian languages (there was even one song with children). Speaking of children, the youngest ones probably shouldn't see this. Among the reasons: the plane crash itself is quite scary, and there are several scenes where the poachers fire shots at people who they believe might be interfering with them (when the Indian is around, he fired back using arrows, but no one appeared seriously injured). The poachers threaten the children with guns when the Indian isn't around, and there are the usual scenes with one or both teens in danger. Also, one of the bears steps into a painful trap, gets taunted by the poachers, and is finally shot. The extent of the injuries to the poachers involved is not quite clear, but the other bear attacks several poachers. This was an edited version I saw, but there were still a few curse words (nothing too major). SPOILER: Also, one of the poachers is apparently killed by a bullet.

Pretty Good!

[kj3152 · 12 January 2003]

I tuned in and i thought that it was going to be a bad film, but i was miss lead by what i had red about. I have to say that however great an actress Kirsten Dunst is, she seems to have the same type of emotions in every film that she does. I though Zachery Ty Thomas was a great asset to the film and overall it was very enjoyable to watch.

Totally worth watching 8/10

Great movie I give a top rating

[al5304 · 29 December 2002]

This one of the best movies that I have seen in a long time. I recommend it for anyone that loves the wild life and I would say that it is a good movie for kids. The music is great wish that I could get the sound track. Know how I can get it?

Great movie, wish there was a score CD

[Lock-Nah · 20 January 2002]

I have actually to this date seen the last half hour of this movie. But let me tell you, the music was just awesome. I loved the voices, and the Indian music. I wish there was a score CD available. A great movie overall!! Kirsten Dunst is great, and pretty

Lolita

[tedg · 20 January 2003]

Spoilers herein.

This is an absolutely dreadful film in every way except for the appearance of the remarkable Dunst.

She has turned out to be an ordinary adult actress, but as a child she was spellbinding. Here, the role is undemanding, but see the mark of a good actress in that she gives more than the pedestrian director demands.

Part of that young talent was in understanding how to create and use the `Lolita mouth,' that reverse smile that can persist through the whole character. It is derived from a pout but turned into a token of engaged personality. We lost something when she grew up.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 4: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.