Sarring: Aneurin Barnard, Michael Sheen, Lena Headey, Sam Neil
Director: Jonathan Newman
Rated: PG
Based on the young adult novel Mariah Mundy and and the Midas box.
Set in Victorian England the film eschews most of the horror elements of the book and trades in the original plot for a less magical search for a brother that feels to much like a dickens American treasure.
What worked for thirty years ago and countless B movie serials in the 40’s doesn’t hold water let alone the attention span for today’s audiences. The one element of magic the séance cards is the lone highlight. This was clearly meant to be a series in the vein of a Harry Potter yet lacks the magic and mystery of the hogwarts crew. If you are going to change the story and change the title go all in and change the weakest part, the name Mariah for the male lead. The story has potential but the film really needed to be taken in a darker direction with more delving into the world of the steam operated hotel and what lies beneath, rather than relegating it to a schleppy spin on .
So much to work with yet so little payoff, Youngsters might enjoy this but anyone over 8 will be disappointed.
Grade-65