Common Sense Media Review
By Grace Montgomery
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Formulaic adventure film for kids is fun but a little scary.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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The Lost Medallion: The Adventures of Billy Stone
What's the Story?
THE LOST MEDALLION: THE ADVENTURES OF BILLY STONE is a family-friendly adventure film (which was later turned into a book) about the quest to find a lost medallion. Daniel (Alex Kendrick of Fireproof) tells a home of orphans the story of Billy Stone (Billy Unger), who, along with his friend Allie (Sammi Hanratty), is trying to find a lost medallion to impress his archeologist father who doesn't have any time to spend with him. When they find the medallion, it sends Billy and Allie back in time where they meet young prince Huko (Jansen Panettiere) and the wise guide Faleaka (James Hong). The group must fight the evil Cobra, who steals the medallion, and find a way to return to their own time so they can save Billy's father from Cobra in the future.
Is It Any Good?
Watching The Lost Medallion feels a bit like watching the kids' version of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Although you don't get the gross-outs of the Harrison Ford flick, many of the scary sequences feel like they came straight from that '80s classic, including scenes of villagers working in mines and a sinister lava pit. But, as in the Indiana Jones films, there are a lot of fun action/adventure scenes that make The Lost Medallion an enjoyable watch, even if you're not covering any new ground.
There are a lot of clichés thrown around (the orphan who wants to find her parents, the boy who just wants his father to love him, the wise native who can't wait to impart his wisdom), but the film does include some unexpected twists such as time travel that keep it interesting. And, although the premise that a kind-hearted former orphan is telling the story to help children like him discover their self-worth and that God loves them, feels ham-handed at best, parents probably will appreciate the wholesome message. And kids will probably enjoy watching the young characters figure out how to turn pineapples into homemade bombs.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the message of the film. Do you think it's a religious message?
Do you think Bill Muir, the writer and director of the movie, was influenced by other adventure films? Which ones?
Do you like movies about time travel? Which other time-travel movies have you seen? How does this one compare?
Movie Details
- In theaters : March 1, 2013
- On DVD or streaming : August 27, 2013
- Cast : Sammi Hanratty , Billy Unger , James Hong
- Director : Bill Muir
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Asian Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Bridgestone
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Run time : 97 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : December 5, 2025
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