The Lost Treasure leans heavily into family-friendly adventure storytelling. The plot taps into our childhood love of treasure hunting, secret maps, and Indiana Jones-style intrigue. The divide between good and evil is clearly drawn. Eddie, Tanya, and Maleko are the heroes taking an unwavering stance against evil. Wellington is your standard mustache-twirling villain foiled by the heroes and, worse, by his incompetent henchpersons. In the end, we learn the true treasures in life are rarely found in gems, jewels, and gold, but within ourselves.
By design, family-friendly titles lack the narrative edge and darkness we desire in our epic cinematic stories. Though the antique spear can destroy the entire island, we are never given an example of its devasting power. The language is low-sodium salty, and the fighting is as non-violent as it gets except for an occasional coconut to the noggin.
“…taps into our childhood love of treasure hunting, secret maps, and Indiana Jones-style intrigue.”
The Lost Treasure runs for just over an hour. It’s over before you know it. What Tinucci could have done to elevate the story and add 10 to 15 minutes was explore her lead characters’ backstory and emotional motivations. We know that Eddie is a down-on-his-luck private instigator, but why? What leads him to be a mere shell of his ancestors? Tanya is invested in finding and protecting Hawaiian artifacts, but why? How do her motivations contrast with Eddie’s goals? What about Wellington? He’s a greedy, egotistical, bad guy, but why? Giving your lead characters a backstory helps create a personal connection between the characters and audiences. By connecting to viewers, they are now emotionally invested in the story’s outcome. It also allows the actors to shape and develop characters, which might surprise any creator or director.
Ultimately, The Lost Treasure is parent-safe and most decidedly so. Kids will have fun with the story, which is what you want for your tween children. The dialogue isn’t Shakespeare, but the script never needs to dumb lines or events down for children. Thankfully, the movie never tries to do anything cheeseball cute, like injecting bad puns or talking animals. What is unique is how writer/director Tinucci infuses Hawaiian lore, legend, and mythology, making it a perfect location for a treasure hunt adventure. That makes The Lost Treasure a fantastic find for parents looking for exciting films for their kids.
For more information about The Lost Treasure, visit https://visionfilms.net/.
"…infuses Hawaiian lore, legend, and mythology, making it a perfect location for a treasure hunt..."
