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Restless SpiritsRating:
Release Date: 25 September, 2001 Retail Price: $14.98 OUR Price: $12.99 You SAVE: $1.99! Cast: Complete Cast (7 total) |
Restless Spirits Reviews
Nice Family Film
David Wellington's award winning "Restless Spirits" is a family film much on the order of "The Boy Who Could Fly". The restless spirits belong to an actual pair of 1927 French aviators who aviation historians believe made a successful transatlantic flight two weeks before Charles Lindbergh did in May, 1927. Their names were Charles Nungesser & Francois Coli (humorously played by Lothaire Bluteau & Michel Monty) and the prevailing theory is that they crashed in a isolated area of Newfoundland.
These two ghosts are tangible and approachable, even friendly although Nungesser works hard to give an unpleasant impression. Adults looking for gore, scares, and atmosphere will be disappointed although the film does succeed at developing a decent amount of tension.
Juliana Wimbles does a nice job as Katie, a twelve-year-old who has not yet accepted the death of her test pilot father and whose mother has parked her and her younger brother at their paternal grandmothers while playing around in Europe with a new romantic interest. Marsha Mason plays the grandmother who has had little contact with the two children prior to this visit. She happens to live near a haunted pond and in the tradition of "Sixth Sense" Katie soon discovers that only she and her brother can see the ghosts.
Because of her father's occupation Katie has a natural bond with the two French aviators and figures out why they have not passed on. In 1927 they became lost in the fog and crashed into the pond, on foggy days they must repeat the events that led to their deaths. Katie enlists the help of Andy (Ben Cook), a young neighbor who has a crush on her. They work to restore the wrecked plane so the ghost's can finally escape the pond. Suspense is generated by the interference of Andy's nasty sister, and by the competition of two archaeologists who are trying to unravel the unsolved mystery of the doomed flight.
In the process Katie is able to finally come to terms with the loss of her father. She gains an understanding of death from the disparate reactions of the two aviators to their ghostly situation. Nungesser, the pilot, is upset about losing out on the fame of the first transatlantic crossing and embarrassed at crashing. Coli, the navigator/mechanic is crushed by the realization that he will never see his family again. Katie begins to understand that her father was a mix of these two sets of motivations. Pay attention to Katie's interactions with the two aviators because it is in this substitute father/daughter dynamic that the film transcends the ordinary ghost story.
This is a well scripted and pleasant film with a very original premise that the whole family should enjoy, but don't expect shock and horror.
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
Beguiling Little Film
I was very pleasantly surprised by this film.I was expecting the usual insulting kiddie fair but instead got a well-made, subtle and heart-felt ghost story.The cast in this is very good,with the excellant Marsha Mason turning in another fine performance,and the actors playing the spectral pilots are witty and convincing.Also Juliana Wimbles is a real find.The beautiful young actress finds the fiesty spirit and wounded heart of the girl who discovers the spirits of two missing pilots,and the relationship she develops with them,and how they eventually help each other find what they have always been searching for is surprisingly moving,but not in a bombastic way.This is a very small film,and could easily fall through the cracks,but give it a chance.I think this,along with "Fly Away Home" is a rare example of films that are ideal for kids,but can also be enjoyed by intelligent adults.
More Customer Reviews (4 total)
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