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The Secret Kingdom
2023 98 min Australia PG 6+
★6.4
Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Director: Matt Drummond
Trailers
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Description
Verity and Peter’s trip to the old family mansion takes a turn when the floor of their room suddenly gives way and they fall into an underground chamber where they are met by a civilization of creatures. The leader tells them that Peter's arrival was foretold as he’s the one who can use Great Clock of the Citadel to restart time and destroy the Shroud, a malevolent creature who feeds on fear itself...
Budget:
$348,019
Starring
Sam Everingham
Actor
Alyla Browne
Actor
Alice Parkinson
Actor
Key opinion
The Secret Kingdom is a modest fantasy adventure that functions adequately as family escapism but struggles with unoriginal storytelling. While the visuals and creature designs provide some charm, viewers are divided by the uneven acting and a derivative plot that relies heavily on familiar genre tropes.
| Production | The creature designs and world-building elements, such as the pangolin realm and double-headed tortoises, offer creative and entertaining highlights. | |
| Originality | The film leans heavily on established fantasy conventions, resulting in a predictable premise that feels derivative of works like Narnia or Harry Potter. | |
| Acting | Performances are inconsistent, with some viewers finding the child and adult acting to be unconvincing or lackluster. | |
| Pacing | The narrative's appeal is polarized; younger audiences or genre fans may find it an enjoyable escape, while others find the pacing slow and the storytelling overly childish. |