There are only 2 other reviews, mostly retelling the plot so I won't do that. This is quite a fun film and cutesy Camilla Belle works well as the 9-year-old at the centre of the action. So long as we stick with her, the equally cutesy baby llama, the various good and bad sorcerers and the main adventure, it's fine and kids should enjoy it.
However they will be bored silly, as I was, by the irritating priest and the flat performances of David Keith and Nancy Allen as the parents. Who cares if the self-centred dad gets his research grant or the whiney mom gets her divorce or whatever she happens to be whining about? These two get in the way of the action and spoil the enjoyment and there's way too much of them. The idea that they sent their bright, lively (and much smarter than them) daughter to an analyst (and a comedy-turn idiot of an analyst at that) makes no sense at all.
Just one criticism of Belle's performance. Any time things are going well for her 'team', she produces the same cheeky smile, which works just fine most of the time. But when truly horrendous things are happening to the bad guys, it doesn't convince.
However they will be bored silly, as I was, by the irritating priest and the flat performances of David Keith and Nancy Allen as the parents. Who cares if the self-centred dad gets his research grant or the whiney mom gets her divorce or whatever she happens to be whining about? These two get in the way of the action and spoil the enjoyment and there's way too much of them. The idea that they sent their bright, lively (and much smarter than them) daughter to an analyst (and a comedy-turn idiot of an analyst at that) makes no sense at all.
Just one criticism of Belle's performance. Any time things are going well for her 'team', she produces the same cheeky smile, which works just fine most of the time. But when truly horrendous things are happening to the bad guys, it doesn't convince.