I walked into this film with no particular expectations.  The trailer just seemed intriguing, and I had heard positive murmurings about this film, so I thought I would give it a try.  It’s a film that does require a certain suspension of belief, as parts of the story do get pretty unrealistic.

IMDb summarizes this movie as “A national manhunt is ordered for a rebellious kid and his foster uncle who go missing in the wild New Zealand bush,” and for the most part, I would say that’s fairly accurate.

This movie is pretty quirky, and there were a few moments where I felt surprisingly emotional.  There was one part in particular too, I think towards the latter half of the movie that, as an animal lover, definitely pulled hard on the heartstrings.

I am not sure what the name of the actress is, but she plays the role of the social worker at the beginning that introduces the main character to his new foster family, and for some reason she kept reminding me of how Pam Ferris portrayed Ms. Trunchbull in Matilda (1996).

The film does have its fair share of funny scenes, but not as many as I felt like the trailer led me to believe.  Julian Dennison’s character is incredibly witty, and Sam Neill is perfect in his role as a cranky old man who just wants to be left alone.

The ending at least brings things full circle, despite its unrealistic elements.  I was satisfied with it, however.

Final Thoughts: I think this one is worth seeing in theaters.  I’d definitely watch it again once it’s made available for rent.  I’m not sure if this is one I would actual own a physical copy of, but that’s less because I didn’t enjoy it enough and more because the movies I like to collect usually fall into the superhero genre.