As Aventuras da Família Robinson

This movie is awesome. Why have I only stumbled across it now? Was there no publicity back in 2002? So much better than the normal Hallmark product, which can be over sentimental and fanciful. It's an intelligent re-make of the Swiss Family Robinson's survival story, cleverly avoiding the clunky plot points of the 1960's John Mills film. Shot in Thailand (I think ) the film looks stunning. Beautiful sets, fabulous cast (including a young Jessie Spencer aka Robert Chase in House MD.) There's a reality about their evolution on the island and the magical encounter with a native fisherman. One of their sons Jacob is separated from them during the shipwreck and is adopted by Pirates. This cleverly provides the emotional drive the story needs to get to it's climax. Exciting, moving, rewarding, with excellent direction from Charles Beeson.....just great!

A film for all the family. The Sets are incredible with a fine cast to grace them especially the young Jacob (Charlie Lucas)who is a star in the making. The story is close to the original but with the help of modern technology the special affects stand out.

This is truly a great entertaining film from the very beginning of the picture to the very end. A man named Robinson is arrested and sentenced to prison, however, his wife wants to be with her husband and willing to take all her children on a sea voyage aboard a prisoner ship with other convicts. There is a large storm that develops out at sea and most of the crew vanish and cause the family to be split apart from each other. The story turns into a sort of Robinson Family story from the past, except there is more adventure with the children along and all starting to grow up and becoming detached from Mom and Pop. This is a great family picture with even pirates and men hungry for gold.

Hallmark has spent a lot of money on their "Family Robinson" tale and it looks gorgeous, the money is there to behold in lavish sets, great cinematography. I saw this purely by chance, when I ordered the wrong DVD (should have been the Spanish Stranded from same year!), nevertheless it provides 3 hours of pretty decent entertainment for all but the youngest children. The violence by the end of the film may not make it ideal choice of entertainment for pre-schoolers. TV director Charles Beeson directs a cast of lesser-known actors but Brana Bajic as Lara Robinson is certainly a looker! Other than that the cast is pretty anonymous and misses the mark when it comes to suspense. Few surprises here, this is a classic whitehat/blackhat movie. The kids will love it, but the grown-ups may find this a bit anemic. Will do nicely on a rainy day, however and the lavish tropical pictures will linger on.

Apparently whomever adapted this version of Swiss Family Robinson never actually read the books. The father is an overbearing asshole. The family is not close. There's mostly sniping and arguing. There's a son being raised by pirates. Nobody is likeable. Give this one a pass unless you're bored to tears.