This is one of those movies where they don't bother with world-building or backstory up front, so you're watching it without really understanding what's happening or why anything is the way it is...then at some point they start explaining things but by then you've pieced it together and are just waiting for them to get on with the story. So you spend the first half of the movie wondering what's going on and the second half waiting for it to get moving again, which adds up to only a mildly enjoyable viewing experience.
The performances are good, including the young girl who is the main focus of the story, so the quality of the acting keeps the movie from slipping into negative-rating territory -- but since it takes a while to get a handle on what the world of the film is like, it's difficult to feel invested in the characters or their situation.
This storytelling technique is definitely preferable to opening narration, but jumping in at a point when a lot of unexplained events have already occurred can easily leave a viewer impatiently looking ahead for clarity rather than absorbing the story as it unfolds. It isn't until about halfway through when the characters start giving out exposition, but by then, everything they're saying is already understood, and it's just wasted dialogue delaying narrative progression.
Worth watching on Netflix for those who like family drama mixed with low-budget superpowers, but doesn't break new ground in terms of storytelling and fantasy.
The performances are good, including the young girl who is the main focus of the story, so the quality of the acting keeps the movie from slipping into negative-rating territory -- but since it takes a while to get a handle on what the world of the film is like, it's difficult to feel invested in the characters or their situation.
This storytelling technique is definitely preferable to opening narration, but jumping in at a point when a lot of unexplained events have already occurred can easily leave a viewer impatiently looking ahead for clarity rather than absorbing the story as it unfolds. It isn't until about halfway through when the characters start giving out exposition, but by then, everything they're saying is already understood, and it's just wasted dialogue delaying narrative progression.
Worth watching on Netflix for those who like family drama mixed with low-budget superpowers, but doesn't break new ground in terms of storytelling and fantasy.