The Secret Kingdom

But, moments in The Secret Kingdom seem to be rushed through. Verity yells at Peter to stop being afraid and realize everything he’s already accomplished. This should be a much bigger scene, but it breezes by, with audiences unable to figure out what Peter learned from his sister’s prodding. Still, the sense of adventure remains high throughout.

Then there’s the acting. Browne is plucky as Verity, questioning why she can’t be king as her brother does not want it. She’s a force of nature, and her fun translates directly to audiences. Williams is terrific as Pling, creating a full range of emotions alongside the digital effects team to breathe life into the best character in the film. Chan is creepy as The Shroud, making a menacing threat that might actually kill the protagonists.

“…the most perfectly rendered CG effects ever seen in an independent production.”

But, unfortunately, Everingham is not very good. He lacks charisma, being so in his shell that no emotions escape. This is too bad since he is the lead, though he is okay in a few scenes. He is happy when he learns the dragon plays the same “seconds game” he does. Unfortunately, the actor is stilted and one-note for the majority of the runtime.

However, Drummond includes a twist at the end that overcomes any issue The Secret Kingdom may have. Obviously no spoilers, but the finale makes total sense, adds a layer to both Verity and Peter, and is an absolute emotional gut punch. Again, for those well-versed in fantasy tales, it is not exactly surprising, but the director makes it work on every level that matters.

The Secret Kingdom is a traditional prophecy/quest family adventure, which lends itself to tropes and cliches. And yes, the lead actor is not the best. But the vast majority of the cast is good, and the world-building of this fantasy land is excellent. More importantly, the ending is stellar, and it is all brought to life by some of the most perfectly rendered CG effects ever seen in an independent production. For the effects alone, this fantasy film is worth checking out as soon as possible.