Well one filmmaker that is trying to change that is Australian Matt Drummond. Drummond surprised the world with his first two films – Dinosaur Island and My Pet Dinosaur. Not only were the visual effects in these films out of this world, but while they were shot on an indie budget they looked like they cost 100s of millions to make.
Now Drummond returns with his third film – the very, very magical and inspiring The Secret Kingdom – a film that will instantly remind anybody watching it of classic films like The NeverEnding Story or Alice in Wonderland.
Set in the 1960s, The Secret Kingdom sees the lives of siblings Peter (Sam Everingham – Hardball) and Verity’s (Alyla Browne – True Spirit) thrown upside down when their father, David (Christopher Gabardi – My Pet Dinosaur), finds himself in financial difficulty and moves the entire family to the country.
This is a major disruption for Peter who is suffering from past trauma and has many fears including walking on cracks. His and Verity’s lives are changed even more though when they soon discover that living under their new home are strange creatures called Pangolins.
When the duo are literally sucked into this world, Peter is told by the nervous Pling (voiced by Darius Williams – Transfusion) that he is their King and that he must embark on a dangerous mission to free them from a terrifying creature known as The Shroud (Garbrielle Chan – Here Out West).
Like he did with his previous films, Matt Drummond has managed to make this film look like he was working with a Hollywood budget. The special effects are amazing while the creature designs themselves are something that Peter Jackson or Guillermo del Toro would be proud of. Not only do the Pangolins look amazing but Drummond’s screenplay really concentrates on giving each of them their own personality – to the point where Pling ends up becoming so cute you’ll be looking for the toys to buy for your kids.
There are also other strengths to Drummond’s screenplay as well. He has set up an imaginative and unique world in which the Pangolins live and he also manages to deal with some very deep topics in a way that still makes the film suitable for family members of all ages. There is a strong moral behind this film that means any child watching it will get a valuable lesson in learning to overcome their fears and to make sure they always look out for their siblings.
Having younger actors play the roles of Peter and Verity also means that any children watching The Secret Kingdom should be able to identify with the characters in an instant. It is here that credit must also be paid to Sam Everingham and Alyla Browne. These fine actors go well and truly beyond their age and are so good in their roles that work in Hollywood must soon be on the horizon for both.
Likewise there is little doubt that Matt Drummond will soon find himself at the helm of an epic Hollywood blockbuster. It takes a truly talented filmmaker to have such a small budget yet still manage to make a film that looks this good – we can only imagine what he could do with a budget with a few more zeroes at the end. Given that his films also manage to create a magic on the screen that is so rare these days it is easy to see that one day he will make a film that leaves the world in awe.
Don’t be put off by the fact that The Secret Kingdom is a low-budget film. This is a film that deserves to be mentioned alongside family classics like The Labyrinth or NeverEnding Story. There are some scary moments throughout the film, but realistically this is a film that can be enjoyed on a family outing.
The Secret Kingdom is currently screening in Phuket and is rated ‘G’.
4/5 Stars
David Griffiths has been working as a film and music reviewer for over 20 years. That time has seen him work in radio, television and in print. He is also an accredited reviewer for Rotten Tomatoes. You can follow him at www.facebook.com/subcultureentertainmentaus