Riddle of Fire

Make no mistake, this is not great movie-making, and with that caveat out of the way, we shall proceed.

With many elements to love - precocious kids on motorbikes wielding paint guns outsmarting buffoonering adults - this bizarre, amateur school play of a movie does spin a yarn of charm that is undeniable. Forget the Swiss cheese plot, just crawl through the holes and enjoy the potty-mouthed kids as they serve up some whoopass comeuppance on the elderly fools that dare stand in their quest to fulfill a blueberry pie recipe for their ailing mother - bed ridden, with what seems to be just a common cold and a strange craving for pie. Once they deliver, she will hand over the password for their television so's they can play their favourite video game. Uh, yeah. Again, the plot is the weak link here, and frankly it seems to be deliberately childish. Like kids came up with this tall tale!

Shot in washed out and grainy 16mm film, this nails the eighties, which may or may not be reason to celebrate. Certainly not for the masses, this does have enough offbeat appeal to enjoy cult status, especially if mind-altering substances are involved. Perhaps one of those giant sugary sodas.

Much like someone you knew growing up, there is a kid with a fast and hard to follow slurry speech pattern. Brilliant solution: subtitles. No need for recasting or dubbing. If only life were so easy. "Riddle of Fire" is one crackpot movie that somehow captures the free-wheeling unbridled innocence of brash youth on a summery day epic adventure, when life was indeed easy. Nice and easy. And super weird.

• hipCRANK.

No one makes kids movies like this anymore. The only kid's movies you see made nowadays are animated. This movie just makes you leave the theater with a smile on your face. Beautiful on the big screen especially the night scenes, even more impressive knowing this is probably not a big budget film. Can't wait to see it in the US theaters. Gorgeous cinematography using authentic 16 mm film.

This takes you back in time with its nostalgic feel. This film is on the lines of Stand by me and Goonies.

The dance scene is memorable playing the favorite "Baby Come Back".

You can't go wrong when you Colby any kids movie with dirt bikes, paintball guns, and a classic bad guy in big John Redeye.

You want to reconcile yourself with the magic of life watch "Riddle of Fire".

Brilliant, fun, emotional.

The child that you were resurfaced within you.

The way it is filmed in 16mm take you back in the 70' it gives you the feeling of being in that era.

All the actors the children, the bad and the uggly, the regulars all are authentic no doubt these people exist.

The story is full of twists and turns, unexpected events, you don't get bored for a second.

A wonderful journey that leaves you with a light heart and a smile on your face.

You want to do yourself good, go see the film.

Relax and enjoy.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ First off. I doubt you'd find anything quite like this one. The acting from the young main characters are amazing! You can't keep your eyes off them and because of them, they keep you engaged and intrigued throughout the whole film. Start to finish.

Looking for something to watch that you haven't seen a hundred times that both you and your kids will enjoy? This is it. RIDDLE OF FIRE has it ALL. Wholesome,funny,drama,fantasy, action & a tiny innocent but of romance. This director/ Writer is a freaking genius!! I seriously hope to be seeing more from him & what else he has in store for us. He gave the world a true gem with this one...We all need to protect this man with all costs!!!

Is this movie something special? I think some viewers will feel that it is. I think two reasons include: 1) It follows some free-range kids on an "adventure," and 2) The film quality gives it a retro look. These two elements add a sense of nostalgia for filmgoers of a certain age. The fact that the kids just roam the county with no parents checking in on them sets this movie apart from anything else made in a long, long time. There is also a slightly surreal quality to a lot of the scenes; the filmmakers did NOT go for a sense of realism. Instead, the children are able to do and say things that kids would like to be able to do, but never really could in real life. So it's kind of like a stylized way of telling the story from a kid's perspective--kind of like how Night of the Hunter has it's own logic at times. I happened to enjoy it, even when not everything worked 100%. For example, the fabled dance sequence: this should have been a highlight, but I didn't feel like it had the intended effect for me. Still, I very much appreciate that someone was able to get this made, and I would be interested to see what the writer/director does in the future. It's the kind of story I wouldn't mind telling if I were ever to write.