caitlinthompson-03016 I got half way through this and knew I wasn't going to finish. The plot was very weak and proposterous at times. They are told by an otherwordly being named Mr. Jones played by Sam Neill that they need to throw two stones into a volcano to save the world.They should have not turned this book into a movie because if the film is following the book well it's a rather lame story.Sam Neill was good as he is a good actor but even he could do nothing about the plot. After all he's just following a script The twins played by Sophie McBride and Tom Cameron were good enough actors but the acting wasn't the problem.Some other viewers found this boring. I didn't find it exactly that as I felt the pace of the movie was good and the direction, acting etc., it was just the awful plot.I said it was more for kids maybe but maybe I'm selling them too short.

rzajac Wonderful production values, but ultimately brought down by poor conception, scenario, and scripting, for which adequate acting, well-intentioned direction, and skillful editing couldn't compensate.My experience was interesting: At first, the flick was just sort of ridiculous; lots of disconnected emoting/apparent motivation and a welter of vague, disconnected scariness that was just senseless, hence funny.And then we come to the bit where Neill's character lays the premise bare. I appreciate the idea of hoping to keep us on pins and needles, awaiting the payload of dawning comprehension of the Big Picture. The problem was that the scenario work and scripting doesn't know when to hold the cards close to the chest... so it just looks silly, especially to the same degree that we're expected to be relating to/identifying with the protagonists.So, I think, OK: I can sort of forgive the foregoing, now that I see that there's actually sort of an engaging premise/backstory. Can the story management straighten up and fly right for the rest of the movie?No. There's just a non-stop cavalcade of (again) disconnected emotional ebbs and flows (e.g., the boy twin breaks character to "go it alone" after the mentor had clearly established its futility; interfaces between the supernatural and "real" world characters are laughable), ridiculous close calls (e.g., the girl "almost" dies, twice), gratuitous stock creepiness (e.g., Lots of ET mucous, way, way over the top grotesquerie)... which pretty much sum up the varieties of narrative/scenario mismanagement. Now, just imagine these things coming at you a mile-a-minute.Nonetheless, it was sort of fascinating to watch, if only for the reason that it never lets you down: There was a guaranteed disbelieving head-shake at least every minute!The reason I watched it was because a Trivial Pursuit teammate said she was under the impression it was made under Peter Jackson's direction, so I jumped on in. Tho a Kiwi production, it _wasn't_ directed by Peter Jackson.Don't waste your time, unless you're a film student and are curious as to how close-to-the-mark I am.

fourgems The movie should have been longer to better cover the book in more detail. Enjoyable but the plot was rushed to fit into only 90 minutes. With a longer movie much more detail could have been covered. As a much younger person I really enjoyed the novel. The movie did not do justice to the book. Having said that the movie was fun and bought back some good memories. The performance by Sam Neil was good and helped to hold the plot together.The time spent in visiting the old building, finding out about the aliens, and scary time on the lake was much too short. There was a great deal of opportunity to better match the book and create a feeling of tension for the viewer.In summary a good movie, worth watching.

slumbergod I'd waited for this one for ages thanks to some fond memories of the original TV adaptation from when I was a child. I suspect that those memories made me expect a lot more that what was delivered here.The plot is okay for a simple science fiction story but don't expect anything epic. The target audience for this seems to be children so in terms of entertainment value for adults it is rather limited -- fans of the original show, supporters of NZ cinema, and those who enjoy sci-fi. I would expect most adults not fitting into these categories are going to find this a boring film.The special effects are okay. For the story, there is the right amount and the quality is acceptable. The movie is more about the characters than flashy special effects so here the balance seems about right.The real problem with production is the same that plagues many New Zealand productions - bad script writing and terrible acting. I watch all the NZ films I can and I am always hoping they will improve but rarely am I surprised in a pleasant way. Whomever writes their scripts needs to spend more time watching real people converse. Part of the problem with the wooden acting is that their lines just don't feel natural so how can they be delivered in a believable way. If you are not a Kiwi or Australian you may not even notice how clunky the acting is; for us it is painful at times! Interestingly, some of the most clunky delivery comes from Sam Neil. Don't hold it against him though; he didn't have much to work with here and he *is* helping out NZ cinema.The nicest thing about this movie is that it is not Hollywood junk. The characters, while not particularly convincing nor likable, are like people you would see on an everyday street. They are not perfect Hollywood models with glowing white teeth and perfect makeup and hair. That in itself is a refreshing change.This movie doesn't extend NZ cinema to any great new heights, nor is it every going to be a classic. It's just a ho-hum movie that might amuse for an hour and a half then be forgotten.