Ronja Rövardotter

Ronja Rövardotter is one of the most brilliant films existing. The book has always been one of my favourites and I was a little bit afraid that the film wouldn't be good enough. When I saw it for the first time I loved it from the very first moment! It's perfect! There's hardly any film which catches you that much like Ronja Rövardotter does. The music is GREAT! All these wild robbers dancing and singing (and running naked out into the snow!). Wonderful! If you haven't seen it: DO!!!! You'll get enchanted!

I believe that especially all Swedish people born in the 70's have a very special relation to this wonderful movie of Astrid Lindgren. Since I am one of those born in the 70's, this movie is a part of my childhood and I can't give it anything less than a perfect score. One of those movies that every parent are obligated to let your children watch! (Although it is a movie for children, I also believe that parents can appreciate it, by the way...)

When I was four years old I used to pretend I was Ronja every time I'd watched this movie. My parents didn't like it, so they wouldn't let me watch it again until after I turned five. Maybe they were disturbed by the feminism. And look what happened to me. :( (OK, you don't know.) On a happier note, many years went by and the other day I saw it on TV. I still like it! Plus there are elements in it, and messages, that a five year old might not be able to understand (at least I couldn't, but I wasn't very smart). So it's for both kids and adults... Beautiful forest and all to look at. Of course, those "wild" horses looked more like super trusting Icelandics to me... ;) But I guess I'll forgive the filmmakers. (And at least they used Icelandics instead of some big shiny new breed!)

There should be a difference between "children movies" and "family movies" as two different genres on IMDb. Otherwise many people might believe movies like this are movies for little children and won't even try to watch it. And in the case of Ronja it would be as big mistake as if you avoid watching "Deer Hunter" if you don't like war films, or "Godfather" if you don't like crime movies. Certainly Ronja is not The Godfather, but it's one of the best in the genre: you should have no prejudice - this movie has no age, interest or other limits.

It is not a "children movie" as most movies sorted in "family" genre are, like "Pippi Langstrumpf", "Madiken" or "Alla vi barn i Bullerbyn" (all of them by Astrid Lindgren books). It is not a movie you have to watch because you are a grandparent who has a duty to watch TV with grandchildren. It is a movie you can watch at any age alone or with any member of your family. I watched it with my children who are from early to very late teens (and you know how at that age kids try to get as distant as they can from childish so nobody could consider them to be little children); I've never seen it before and it had no sentimental meanings to me (no memories from my childhood), but we all loved it and still, months later, laugh remembering some scenes or quotes. And I saw my wife crying as she never does watching standard tragic stories like "Titanic". We are not that old to be senile and back to diapers. So, if we all loved it - isn't that an example what a real family movie should be?!

So please, could these two genres could somehow be distinguished?

I must have seen this film at least 50 times........It's so wonderful, that I even watch it now from time to time, just to experience that amazing feeling of joy, wonder and adventure it gave me. I don't speak any Swedish, but still I know all the lines by heart, just by seeing it so many times !

I saw it for the first time when I was about 6 or 7 years old. I was totally amazed. Amazed by this simple story about an 11-year-old girl living in a medieval castle ( surrounded by a huge forest )with a gang of hairy robbers and her stern but loving mother. Her father is the leader of the band, and regards himself as the greatest and bravest robber that ever roamed the woods. Her world is also inhabited by strange creatures, from little gnome-like creatures to flying evil birdlike witches. When her father discovers her friendship with the son of another leader of a gang of robbers ( and therefore his sworn enemy ), she leaves home and settles with Birk ( the boy ) in a cave in the woods. Together they try to survive until their fathers stop hating each other (which eventually happens).

Ronja immediately became my role-model. She showed me that girls can stand up for themselves just as boys, and that women can be just as tough as men. This simple story deals with all basic things in life : friendship, doing what you think is right, following your heart, stand up for yourself and facing the dangers and problems in life with your chin up and your back straight. The element of fantasy and all the creatures make it a great movie for children, but I believe even younger children will appreciate the story of friendship and love too, and will capture the important messages that this movie carries. I have it on tape, and I hope that I will be able to watch it some day with my daughter(s). I think this film should especially be watched by girls, since Astrid lindgren has put in it a special message for them. But apart from that, it's a film that can be watched and enjoyed by anyone between the age of 5 and 105 ! In my opinion one of the best, if not THE best children's movie ever made ! Watch it, and be a kid again. Watch it, and see the basic things that make life worth living.

10 out of 10 !