##Possible Spoilers##
Wow... how does one manage to totally s**w up the film adaptation of one of the most awesome and loved children's books (well in Holland anyway)? Basically by changing the story, leaving out all the best loved characters and turning it into a romance movie... Thea Beckman wrote a story about friendship, perseverance, hardship and love. The movie just left out all the characters that made this be. Where's Frank with his total loyalty? Where's Peter with his awesome toughness?? Where's Leonardo with his wry sense of humor? Where's Mariecke who became symbolic of Dolf's love of the other children, his need to protect them, his wake-up call to the hardships of medieval life? I mean where are my darn characters? Where's my darn story?? The budget was small yes, but that shouldn't have been a problem. This adaptation was never supposed to be about looks and special effects. Romance wasn't part of the friggin' deal. It should have been about a 15 year old who finds himself in an impossible situation. Who met honorable people and who gave something back. The whole point of the book was not that the 20th century rocked and how we've got all kinds of cool gadgets. It was about what we've learned from the past (like responsibility and individual talent) and what we've forgotten (a sense of community feeling, loyalty, togetherness). I guess I'm saying that for someone who's read the book this adaptation is just not the way it went down. Please if you haven't read the book don't let my review get in the way of enjoying it or hating it (like it could do that either way ;)), but i just saw my most beloved children's book get s***wd. Imangine if Charlotte got together with Wilbur at some point in the movie adaption. That just wrong and that's what they did with this movie!
Wow... how does one manage to totally s**w up the film adaptation of one of the most awesome and loved children's books (well in Holland anyway)? Basically by changing the story, leaving out all the best loved characters and turning it into a romance movie... Thea Beckman wrote a story about friendship, perseverance, hardship and love. The movie just left out all the characters that made this be. Where's Frank with his total loyalty? Where's Peter with his awesome toughness?? Where's Leonardo with his wry sense of humor? Where's Mariecke who became symbolic of Dolf's love of the other children, his need to protect them, his wake-up call to the hardships of medieval life? I mean where are my darn characters? Where's my darn story?? The budget was small yes, but that shouldn't have been a problem. This adaptation was never supposed to be about looks and special effects. Romance wasn't part of the friggin' deal. It should have been about a 15 year old who finds himself in an impossible situation. Who met honorable people and who gave something back. The whole point of the book was not that the 20th century rocked and how we've got all kinds of cool gadgets. It was about what we've learned from the past (like responsibility and individual talent) and what we've forgotten (a sense of community feeling, loyalty, togetherness). I guess I'm saying that for someone who's read the book this adaptation is just not the way it went down. Please if you haven't read the book don't let my review get in the way of enjoying it or hating it (like it could do that either way ;)), but i just saw my most beloved children's book get s***wd. Imangine if Charlotte got together with Wilbur at some point in the movie adaption. That just wrong and that's what they did with this movie!