Ötzi e il mistero del tempo

When I learned about Ötzi as a kid, I was fascinated. So younger me would have loved the idea of a) befriending said Chalcolithic mummy and b) having him teach me to use magical shaman powers. This movie just had such a charming premise, and the actor for the titular iceman (Michael Smiley) not only looks a lot like scientists' recreations of Ötzi, but he also played the character in such a sweet and fun way. He was the best part of the movie.

Unfortunately the rest of the film suffers. The adult villains grossly overact and somewhat ruin this childhood-wish-fulfillment tale. (I just found them grating). The main villainess even wears a fake red-and-black fur coat and a very fake-looking wig. The pacing is off, and the child actors do their best but are still not very believable. I wanted to like this more than I did; the premise was there but the execution fell flat.