Unsure WHAT the first reviewer was talking about- the biggest name I have seen so far are Anthony Head(Buffy) and Aaron Taylor-Johnson(Kick-Ass)(granted it was in 2007 for the latter actor). The effects are okay(for low budget B-movie) but nothing close to 'great'.
This film feels like a movie where the set-up is completely missing.
Review as I go: 30 MINS INTO FILM: NONE of the characters are really introduced well. What happened to the kids real mother? Why is this troll in exile? Why does the story pick-up with this particular family and why are they living at said location? (It has an air of 'we moved here'). Why are these kids and their dad(His he?) at such odds? THEY SHOULD HAVE: Explained all the above and set these kids up to be precocious prankster types with some charm. (Think a UK style Dennis the Menace).
I agree it does feel like all the actors in this had nothing better to do on a weekend. Its like they said "who wants to forget everything you know about acting and play this like you're back in high school". They just didn't connect at ALL. Plus, every kid in the UK must have been sick or in the Harry Potter franchise at the time OR these kids were related to someone in the movie. Their acting sucked! The girl is better than the boy, but still some poor acting.
The make-up is also POORLY done. It looks like the budget was the left overs from Halloween aisle at the local drug store. It's very flat on the characters. No shading. No definition. No character. The wigs looks like a bargain bin find as well.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: The "Witch" is more like a fairy than a witch. She has a broom but lacks any 'witchy' aspects. :-(.
The movie DOES finish better after you get numb to all the aforementioned. However, this is NOT a movie you should watch thinking you're going to receive the same pleasure and 'warm fuzzy' that other such movies provide.
The movie NEVER seems to answer any of the questions that I had from the beginning.
Plus, the character of the two children are odd and NEVER developed. The girl has some magic? Where did it come from? Why is she not the main lead if she has magic? The boy is the lead but is a lackluster leader/hero type. The movie ALWAYS gives the lead over to the boy! He does have ONE scene toward the end of the movie in this scene that has some slightly creep factor going on, but otherwise he just cannot hold it.
This film feels like a movie where the set-up is completely missing.
Review as I go: 30 MINS INTO FILM: NONE of the characters are really introduced well. What happened to the kids real mother? Why is this troll in exile? Why does the story pick-up with this particular family and why are they living at said location? (It has an air of 'we moved here'). Why are these kids and their dad(His he?) at such odds? THEY SHOULD HAVE: Explained all the above and set these kids up to be precocious prankster types with some charm. (Think a UK style Dennis the Menace).
I agree it does feel like all the actors in this had nothing better to do on a weekend. Its like they said "who wants to forget everything you know about acting and play this like you're back in high school". They just didn't connect at ALL. Plus, every kid in the UK must have been sick or in the Harry Potter franchise at the time OR these kids were related to someone in the movie. Their acting sucked! The girl is better than the boy, but still some poor acting.
The make-up is also POORLY done. It looks like the budget was the left overs from Halloween aisle at the local drug store. It's very flat on the characters. No shading. No definition. No character. The wigs looks like a bargain bin find as well.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: The "Witch" is more like a fairy than a witch. She has a broom but lacks any 'witchy' aspects. :-(.
The movie DOES finish better after you get numb to all the aforementioned. However, this is NOT a movie you should watch thinking you're going to receive the same pleasure and 'warm fuzzy' that other such movies provide.
The movie NEVER seems to answer any of the questions that I had from the beginning.
Plus, the character of the two children are odd and NEVER developed. The girl has some magic? Where did it come from? Why is she not the main lead if she has magic? The boy is the lead but is a lackluster leader/hero type. The movie ALWAYS gives the lead over to the boy! He does have ONE scene toward the end of the movie in this scene that has some slightly creep factor going on, but otherwise he just cannot hold it.