I wasn't going to tick the spoiler thing, but I guess I'm telling a lot of stuff about the plot so I'd better just in case.
I saw this first when I was about 6 years old when my mom brought it home from the video store. I only vaguely remember it from that time, but it nagged me enough that I decided to find it again. Find it I did, and I'm glad because I still like it.
It is a kids' movie but cool enough for adults too. This movie runs real smooth up until the scene toward the end when the pirates are chasing Haakon. Merrick is real good and menacing, and you know the tension is building for something to pop soon. But toward the end he gets too comic when chasing Haakon to maintain that image and it all becomes a bit juvenile. It doesn't wreck the film though.
Now I really like all the traps Haakon sets for the pirates and how some of em don't work right. And this fearless kid tries to take on a whole village of native islanders. Spunky little dude eh. And Haakon should have kissed that stowaway girl at least once. She was pretty spunky too. Maybe he was too young though. Something else that bothers me is what happened to the gorilla Haakon makes friends with? Man, I would have at least said goodbye to the poor beast. And I like the scene in the English pub where Haakon makes all his shipmates drink mugs of milk.
Another thing that makes me glad about this film is that Haakon gets the best of the storekeeper's kid that bullied him at the beginning of the movie, and he saves the family farm too. I know it's a stereotypical happy ending but it's satisfying anyhow.
Most of the acting was pretty decent, and Haakon kept things going well. He was a little scrawny for a sailor boy though. (Funny I haven't seen that kid in any other movies. He performed outstanding in my opinion) Now the scenery. It was awesome and really added to the adventurous atmosphere. No cheap sets either. This film definitely had some thought put into it.
Anyone who liked any of the Treasure Island movies should like this one too. Pirate movies like this are just a lot of fun anyway.
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