Four Kids and It (2020) User Reviews

Typical Sky Production. Lifeless And Uninspiring.

[STEVE24BUS · 4/10 · 18 April 2020]

I watched this with my wife who will watch anything with a bit of magic or fantasy in it. While not truly awful, it was pretty much next door. It looked poorly budgeted and the creature looked like a 1980 spitting image creation. A special mention for Russell Brand. Awful. Yes, I know it's a kids film, but I can't see any child over six or seven not being embarrassed for him. Younger kids may enjoy it, but it's probably too long with not enough action or fun to keep them interested. I haven't yet seen a Sky original that I've had a good word for. Very missable.

Struggled to make it to the end

[amirhare · 4/10 · 30 June 2020]

This movie is terrible. It's poorly written and a general waste of time. The way the children's roles have been written is just appalling. For instance, I get why one of the girls will be the typical distant teen type especially because of her dad leaving but the fact that she's just so mean to everyone. For instance, in one scene she just takes the little boys switch, she barely knows him. Overall, it's just a poorly written movie.

Normally don't write reviews, but this calls for it

[tinsel_head · 4/10 · 7 October 2020]

I rented this movie off a preview I seen. I wasn't expecting much cause it looked like your run of the mill, straight to video family movie. What caught me though was the acting talents - Matthew Goode, Michael Caine, Russell Brand, etc. With this kind of talent it could have easily been a January release. I don't know the source material it's based on so I went into this without any preconceived ideas. The movie itself is okay, more mediocre then anything. The kids find this creature who can make wishes. The thing is , the wishes are uninspiring and dull. Aside from the talent, the best thing was Russell Brand's villain. It gave you enough crazy you were drawn in. Some of the negatives about this movie - well for starters I found it way longer than needed not only for a family film, but a straight release. At two hours of meh magic - it dragged. There was some questionable content like a gun Brands character has that obviously is used for suicide, or a part where the kids are in a helicopter and there is a mini bar at their leisure. The absolute worst part for me, was the girl Smash. Every scene she was in was just cringe. You felt no sympathy for her or wanted to like her. She was a rude, spoiled brat the whole movie and it was way over the top.

Couldn't make it to the end.

[suellenmaforte · 1/10 · 22 April 2020]

The movie had a good story to it, seemed cute, but I couldn't even make it to the end of it with one of the characters being such a despicable out of control character. And the mother of, "Smash" AKA Samantha had no motherly morals at all. Just because she was a single mother, doesn't mean her children needed to be such pricks. Couldn't Even make it to end of it

Excruciating

[Leofwine_draca · 2/10 · 7 April 2020]

It's been 16 years since the last ill-advised remake of the classic Edith Nesbit novel, which was so well adapted by the BBC back in the 1990s. This one manages to be even worse than that, moving far, far away from the source material to instead adapt Jacqueline Wilson's own written reinterpretation of the book. Gone is the charm and period flavour, replaced by typically obnoxious modern kids and jaw-droppingly awful storytelling on the part of the writers. The acting is appalling, as are the production values; the best thing here is the not-bad CGI animation for the Psammead (a step up from the 2004 film, admittedly) alongside Michael Caine's vocals. Why somebody added in a streetwise American kid with a history of petty crime I have no idea; racial stereotyping in blatant display there. The nadir of the movie is undoubtedly Russell Brand's shoehorned-in villain, who is excruciatingly awful; how this joker has a lengthy acting career I have no idea.

Another childhood classic is attacked

[injury-65447 · 1/10 · 7 January 2021]

I couldn't even make it through the trailer. Talk about cringe. As if it wasn't bad enough that CGI monstrosity is absolutely disgusting and I want nothing to do with it. Foul creature. Lazy stupid film.

Should Have Been Better

[neiljones1981 · 6/10 · 10 April 2020]

Based on Jacqueline Wilson's book of the same name (which was based on E Nesbit's Five Children and It), Four Kids and It is the big sreen adaption of this deriative.

Aside from sounding like a budget version of Five Children and It with one kid missing, it attempts to update the story to a modern standard. Which is all very well but this still comes across as being a bit half-baked.

Like most "issues" with a lot of films, suspect the budget has more of a say than anything else. The "wishes" are lacklustre, flat and as for Russell Brand, well, cliche if nothing else. The kids carry the bulk of the film between them, relatively successfully.

At the end of the day you can't help feeling this is a wasted opportunity. It could have and should have been so much better. Not a total disaster, those who've read the novel (or the original 1902 book) may be disappointed, but those who just jump into films and read the book later if at all may get more out of it.

Why try and improve on perfection?

[FlossieCat · 1/10 · 18 April 2020]

There is no mention in the film's details that this is a rip off.

Now TV even has the film described as "Sky original based on Jacqueline Wilson's novel"!

What?

Wilson simply plagiarised E Nesbit who wrote Five Children and It in 1902. Nesbit also invented the word Psammead- aka Sand Fairy.

I tried watching this but it only made me angry. Why set it in Cornwall? The original is set in Kent. Furthermore, Nesbit's Psammead was terrified of water - so why have it anywhere near the beach?

And of course in today's PC world the plot has to be made "relevant" with potential step siblings; thus commenting on today's divorces and second marriages, family tensions and so on.

Why does there have to be a villain who wants to steal the Psammead? Does everything have to come down to goodies and baddies? Are children unable to simply watch a story with a lot of humour that is premised on the old adage of "be careful what you wish for" when the wishes go horribly wrong?

The well known and very good children's author, Helen Cresswell, did a screenplay for a BBC production back in the 1990s. She should have known better. That was dire too.

Read the original - no one can improve on Nesbit.

I only watched it to hate it.

[jack_hanley · 7/10 · 13 April 2020]

I am 70 years old and have such great memories of reading all of E. Nesbits books as a child. I could so easily despised this as a needless and tasteless updating of a beloved classic. The film was a major surprise. I laughed in parts. There were adult jokes clearly meant to go over the heads of the children but I suspect the children will love this. Loved Michael Caine as the Psamead. Brand was a let down which was a shame Completely miscast in probably the worst role in the movie. Forget the fact it is not a great plot I just hope the kids have fun.

Just unwatchable

[mike-denton · 2/10 · 17 April 2020]

The family were all looking forward to watching this whilst in lockdown. The first 20 minutes were just dreadful and our kids, aged 14 and 12, and my wife all agreed to give up on it. Maybe it gets better, but to us, the first 20 minutes represented everything that's wrong with parenting and filmmaking.

Brilliant 'feel good' family film!

[sammidizzle · 9/10 · 8 April 2020]

I felt like a kid again watching this! I was glued the whole way through! Really entertaining and just overall a lovely film for the whole family to sit and watch together!!

Five Children and It.

[nogodnomasters · 6/10 · 27 April 2020]

David (Matthew Goode) is overly reasonable and divorced. His daughter Ros (Teddie-Rose Malleson-Allen) is the main character. She wishes her parents were back together. Her brother (Billy Jenkins) plays video games and barfs a lot. "So one day when this lady met this fellow." The lady is Alice (Paula Patton) a single mom from America. Her daughter Smash (Ashley Aufderheide ) is rebellious and wants to live with her father in Seychelles. She loathes living in a nation where people eat mushy peas. Her sister (Ellie-Mae Siame ) repeats things she shouldn't.

The families siblings meet for the first time on a holiday and do not get a long. They meet a creature on the beach who looks like a Lorax or baby Grinch and sounds like Michael Caine. He grants wishes that can last only one day. The kids go on daily adventures with consequences.

It was a fun film with the expected ending. It is about kids learning to move on after their parents break up.

WHY!!!

[coreyad75 · 2/10 · 13 April 2020]

This is the biggest piece of rubbish I've seen, you've spoilt a classic with this half baked and lame rip off, what can you expect from such a poor author.

Poor all round

[davidianbowley · 3/10 · 7 May 2020]

Having seen the 1990s series I was aware of the basic storyline. Clearly the book is a classic but unfortunately this is let down in a number of ways.

The special effects to start with are terrible. The Pssammead is first introduced as it tunnels under the sand (think Tremors) and it looks awful. Later the children fly and it was very 1970s green-screenesque.

Then there's the acting. Michael Caine cannot do much wrong as a voice actor and Russell Brand is ok, the rest are terrible. It sounds awful to say about child actors but for a feature film it really wasn't great.

I don't know what the budget was, but I suspect after Caine and Brand there was nothing left.

Sky have failed AGAIN!

[johnnynotty · 1/10 · 21 February 2021]

Zero charm, terrible acting, terrible casting. Sky originals just get worse and worse. Don't get me started on 'Blithe Spirit' and 'Twist'. If you see 'Sky Original' it basically means 'avoid'. Just awful

2 at MOST

[ViciousCXY · 2/10 · 21 December 2020]

Honestly I can't really pick out anything that was good about this movie.. The kids in it, SO unlikeable, ESPECIALLY Smash; you know you've made a bad move when the main protagonists, the ones you're supposed to route for, is just someone you want off screen. The CGI in this movie, for 2020, is an absolute embarrassment. At one point they're flying through the air, and I haven't seen green screening that bad since the 1970s; you can achieve semi-realistic greenscreening with a shoe-string budget so I do not understand what the excuse was for this movie. Also, could you have gotten a more irritating and irrelevant actor to play your villian? Russel Brand spends most of his time spouting conspiracy theories on YouTube, if this was his attempt at getting back into the mainstream, if anything it's just proven why he isn't a part of it anymore.

Honestly, you're wasting your time with this film. If you want to watch the story of 5 Children and It play out, I highly recommend you just stick with the 2004 version, where the characters, acting, CGI, and everything else, is just better.

Not a Classic, but a good effort 👏

[swowen-84128 · 6/10 · 8 May 2020]

Yes, Yes I have got the title right! Oh you must be thinking about the 2004 movie, Five Children And It. This is a modern day version, bought completely up to date. So David (played by Matthew Goode) and his daughter Ros (played by Teddie-Rose Malleson-Allen), and son Robbie (played by Billy Jenkins) are seen setting off on a family holiday to Cornwall. On the way down, David tells the kids that there is a surprise when they get there! At the same time as this we see Alice (played by Paula Patton) also getting her family, which consists of 2 girls, Smash AKA Samantha (played by Ashley Aufderheide) and Maudie (played by Ellie-Mae Siame), an American family new to life in England. The holiday is full of ups, downs and magic wishes with the help of someone very special. I did like the film, and yes it wasn't the classic that you will have seen previously (whether that was the movie or the series), but it is fun and a very nice family movie. You will also spot some well known people that are in this movie. You don't need to search far SAND wide for them! I think its a good effort by Sky to produce this feel good movie.

What a disappointment!!!!

[theatredude36 · 2/10 · 18 July 2020]

I was super excited about this movie! I was a huge fan of the book and I loved the BBC miniseries!! I also was excited that Michael Cain was voicing the Sandfairy. Every thing about this movie hit the wrong note. I really disliked the mom letting her daughter be a complete bully to the other kids and being so nonchalant about it. The script was poorly written and the acting is cringy at best. Don't waste your time or money, honestly. Read the book or try to find the 1990s version on YouTube.

A nice family adventure

[Gordon-11 · 3 May 2020]

It is a nice family adventure. It grants wishes, and makes people learn about love in a family. The coastal scenery is beautiful as well. I enjoyed it.

Lovely

[biornotbi · 7/10 · 13 April 2020]

Not an outstanding masterpiece, but I thought it was a cute film. And I think kids will love this one!

Ruined a good book

[bclitherow · 1/10 · 13 December 2020]

Ruined a good book , usual performance we come to expect from Russell Bland

avnt read the book

[ops-52535 · 8/10 · 11 April 2020]

To when it comes to term of entertainment and humble english fun, its a glory hole of mister sandmans wishing well, where everything might happen as long as the sun always shines on the beach.

howcome and why a grumpy old potter like me enjoyed this film is a hard to answer question, but a wish can be nice to have. the musical compound is lovely and the child actors brilliant and funny. its a roller coaster adventure for sure. very recommended

Fun enough for a six year old.

[mbrennen · 6/10 · 19 November 2020]

Simple story with interesting characters. It felt refreshing to watch a film that doesn't need loads of special effects and action to keep you engrossed. Prettily filmed on the South coast of England.

Slow and boring

[bmwi-86181 · 1/10 · 22 August 2020]

After watching the preview I thought it would be good. There was nothing entertaining about this movie. My wife and I were looking after my niece and nephews (ages 2, 8 and 11) for the evening, everyone started losing interest after about 30 minutes. only the 11 year old watched it 'til the end, but half her attention was on something else. With the little bit of Russell Brand's screen time he wasn't funny at all.

Dreadful... but the kids love it.

[pullenscript-82819 · 5/10 · 9 April 2020]

The characters are vile. Two of the girls especially are spoilt, uncontrolled brats who are horrible to watch. The parents should be ashamed of their parenting skills, and the awkward situation they put their children in. The CGI is really poor by today's expectations. A puppet would have been far more convincing than Caine's uncharismatic Psammead. It's a really poorly made movie which does the original story no justice.

And yet, my children love it (aged between 3-6). They've got the choice of masses of movies from various streaming services and they keep coming back to this. All of the greatest family friendly movies from the last thirty years, and they choose Four Kids and It. I'm not sure whether this is because my children have dreadful taste in films or whether it is genuinely engaging for a younger crowd. Either way, it clearly appeals to its target audience.