Review: The Secret Kingdom (1998)

So there was this random movie on Amazon Prime called The Secret Kingdom, and it looked kind of decent, so I gave it a try. And boy, although it was pretty creative, the acting and story were so bland.

I will give the film props for having an inventive idea. A magical land in a kitchen sink ruled by a sadistic leader is pretty cool on paper, and the set designs are neat. However, the idea is executed poorly, although not to the point where the entire film is a disaster. The budget is also a mere $800,000, only leaving room for cheap special effects that aren't even bad enough to be good.

The story is scattered all over the place. We start with some drumming-obsessed kid who has this old man following him with a rod, but then the film shifts to his little brother and his troubles with his siblings before it switches back to Mr. Drummer Kid over here. We also have a sister who's an absolute prick, and the old guy who is the mastermind behind everything. The film can never seem to just focus on one character and for that reason is why the story is lacking in depth or action.

The acting is wooden and lazy, with the only exception being the old mastermind. Besides that, the emotion the characters try to convey is laughable and the dialogue is horrible. However, the film was still mildly watchable and kind of funny, which is why this film isn't getting a lower rating.

The Secret Kingdom looks interesting at first, but it falls into familiar family film territory with thrifty visuals and a story that's all over the place.

RATING: 5/10