Storm Boy Movie Review
Nathan Swank
April 5th, 2019
While the recent remake of a live-action DUMBO is making headlines with its recognizable classic story and big budget Disney stamp, might I present a lesser known new film release in the name of STORM BOY. Based on Colin Thiele’s classic Australian tale, STORM BOY follows the story of a boy and his best friend, a pelican named Mr. Percival.
Rated PG and running at a manageable 98 minutes, STORM BOY is a quaint family film, reminding us about the importance of our childhood friendships, kindness, and retaining an open heart as we get older.
Looking back at his childhood, Michael Kingly (Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush) recounts his incredible boyhood story to his granddaughter (Morgana Davies). Growing up on an isolated coastline with his father, known as Hideaway Tom (Jai Courtney), young Michael (Finn Little) rescues three baby pelicans whose mother is shot by reckless hunters. Little Mike meets an unlikely friend in an older native man (David Gulpill), who helps Michael in his determination to rescue and raise these three pelicans – Mr. Proud, Mr. Ponder and the smallest most loyal one Mr. Percival.
STORM BOY if full of charm aided by a few laughs and perhaps a few tears. However, it never quite breaks that barrier of being truly memorable. It doesn’t help that the modernized screenplay by Justin Monjo spends either too much time or never fully clarifies the business that is happening in the present day involving Michael’s former company ran by his son-in-law. A vote is about to happen that the public is not happy about, including Michael’s grand-daughter, who is still a few months away before she is old enough to have a vote on the board.
While I’m not opposed to the bookend of Michael retelling his childhood story, the opening subplot may not be enough to retain and capture the younger, wide-eyed viewers who will no doubt be more interested in the kid and his birdies storyline. Director Shawn Seet does his best to keep the “grown-up” scenes easy, but also seems to be more interested in the younger story, where the visual energy of the film becomes more alive. Working with children and animals is commonly said to be the two biggest difficulties in Hollywood, but you would never know it judging by STORM BOY. I have to give Seet a lot of credit as both boy and animal come away marvelously in the film. Mr. Percival actions seem naturally remarkable. Additionally, young Finn Little is a terrific find as the lonely and courageous Michael “Storm Boy”.
It’s always important to take genre into consideration when reviewing films. STORM BOY is nothing extravagant or necessarily different from the extensive list of other thematic family film’s involving a child and their respective pet (although I’m sure this is the first involving Pelicans). Knowing that it’s nowhere near the emotion of OLD YELLER, STORM BOY is probably a little more comparable to FREE WILLY or FLY AWAY HOME. Nonetheless, it’s a good-hearted story with a solid message with the ability to find good through tragedy. STORM BOY is a film parents can watch with their kids and be happy they did.
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