Magic Silver
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Magic Silver
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this movie.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Magic Silver is a mostly lighthearted Norwegian family fantasy Christmas adventure (with English subtitles) with occasional moments of peril. Based on a festive Norwegian TV series, the movie is set 100 years before, meaning it can be watched as a standalone film. When Princess Bluerose (Ane Viola Semb) learns that her father (Finn Schau) is ill, she journeys down Blue Mountain to steal money from a nearby human farmer in the hope that the money will help her father get better. This plan sets off a series of messy and sometimes tense conflicts and interactions between the farmer, and a group of blue and red gnomes. For example, the characters discover that one red gnome has been stealing a lot of treasure from the farmer, leading to the characters chasing that red gnome down Blue Mountain in a perilous sled chase. However, there is no actual violence. Throughout the movie, Princess Bluerose and her new red gnome friend Dreng (Johan Tinus Lindgren) continually commit brave and kind acts in defiance of their own fears and sometimes even their own self-interest or traditions. The movie is also known as Julenatt i Blåfjell in some territories.
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What's the Story?
In MAGIC SILVER, Princess Bluerose (Ane Viola Semb) and her new friend Dreng (Johan Tinus Lindgren) try to steal money from a nearby human farmer in order to help cure her father's illness. But by doing so they set in motion a series of mishaps that may threaten the entire planet's sunlight and vitality.
Is It Any Good?
With its main storyline about learning to conquer fears, this Norwegian fantasy adventure presents some character growth, while there are also some positive messages around integrating with others. Within the limited setting of Magic Silver's Blue Mountain and a nearby farm at the mountain's base, the various groups of gnomes and humans must learn to interact with one another as they deal with all manner of things from treasure to magic to tradition-strengthened duties. But the problem is, that amid such a busy plot, many things just flat out don't make sense.
For example, Princess Bluerose's initial plan of traveling down the mountain to steal money from the farmer proves to be disastrous, and earns her the immediate ire of the rest of the blue gnome community. But it was the blue gnomes' elder spirits themselves who told her to follow the plan in the first place. In other moments, the blue gnomes readily let the red gnomes into the mountain even when there are other moments showing that the blue gnomes do not like to welcome outsiders. While most of these small plot-related inconsistencies don't affect the movie's overall festive tones, they leave the purpose and moral conclusions of the movie unclear. For this reason, Magic Silver is probably best appreciated after a Christmas-dinner-induced food coma, when the superficial elements can trump the shaky and confusing plot-related elements.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the fantasy and magic-related elements in Magic Silver. How believable were they? Was this down to the special effects, acting, or both? How did the movie compare to other fantasy movies you might have seen?
The movie often discusses and shows examples of courage. Why is courage an important character strength to have?
Discuss the relationship between Princess Bluerose and her elders, including her father. How did that relationship change throughout the movie? How did it compare with your own relationship with parents, guardians, and/or elders in your life?
If Norwegian is not a language you speak, how did you find the subtitles? Were they distracting or did you get used to them quickly? What other international movies have you seen, and how did this one compare?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: December 23, 2017
- Cast: Ane Viola Semb, Johan Tinus Lindgren, Finn Schau
- Directors: Katarina Launing, Roar Uthaug
- Studio: KidflixGlobal
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Adventures, Fairy Tales, Great Girl Role Models, Holidays
- Run time: 82 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: March 3, 2022
Our Editors Recommend
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The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Timeless classic faithfully rendered.
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The Polar Express
Book-based treat is full of adventure and positive messages.
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
First Potter movie is a magical ride but also intense.
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