Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Poorly made Harry Potter wannabe is boring and awful.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Billy Owens and the Secret of the Runes
What's the Story?
Three friends take summer magic lessons from a teacher named Thurgood (Roddy Piper). Mandy (Ciara O'Hanlon), a studious little girl, narrates, and despite the fact that she seems the dominant character, the movie is named after an unprepossessing boy named Billy (Dalton Mugrudge), who has no discernible personality. The kids seem to have magical powers of their own, although the evidence is scant as the special effects demonstrating their powers are pretty low-tech and unconvincing. At some point a mysterious amulet appears, and, for reasons not entirely clear, it swallows up Thurgood. Somehow the children learn that they have only two days to obtain a particular scepter if they hope to rescue their teacher. Failure to do so will result in Thurgood's soul taking up permanent residence in the amulet. This sets the scene for a series of activities, including a walk to a lighthouse, a flight from a bad spirit, evasion of a bully named Kurt (who also has magical powers), and a discussion about the definition of "runes." Mandy is the expert on ancient Viking writings, and her understanding directs the kids from one task to the next, however illogically. In the end, the kids are warned they will have to sacrifice their powers to free Thurgood, and they agree to the terms. They are further warned that freeing Thurgood means they will never see him again. Neither warning turns out to be true.
Is It Any Good?
This movie is a waste of your time. It's a movie the same way the Yellow Pages is a book. Put another way, the credits say that Mark McNabb is a director, on the presumed assumption that directors oversee and guide audio and visual recordings of people uttering dialogue from a script. However, at a certain point, a line must be drawn in the sand representing a bare minimal standard of quality, and McNabb, his writers, actors, and camera people have failed to meet that standard. By a lot. Don't waste your time on this dreadful adventure. There are so many better choices for kids out there.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the many ways in which the plot lacks drama, suspense, and narrative movement. Can you think of examples of where the movie doesn't make sense?
What makes an actor good? Do you think dull performances have more to do with actor talent or inadequate and unexciting writing?
This movie seems to take inspiration from the Harry Potter series. How does this compare to other movies about adventurous children? What works here? What doesn't work?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : May 11, 2010
- Cast : Roddy Piper , Dalton Mugridge , Ciara O'Hanlon
- Director : Mark McNabb
- Studio : MTI Home Video
- Genre : Fantasy
- Run time : 84 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 6, 2024
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