Les petits champions

A classic kids sport movie, with a story we have seen many times, in The Bad News Bears and many other movies. This time the sport is ice hockey. A new coach takes a hopeless team, full of losers and misfits. Initially reluctant, the coach gets into it, and after some difficulties teaches the kids to love the sport and work hard together, turning them into a winning team.

Not original, but it's done well. It's a feel-good underdog story, made better by some drama between the rival coaches, a star player who has to change teams and a romance between the coach and the single mom of one of the kids. The storytelling is very streamlined and not much time is devoted to any element. But it works. It's fun, and it makes you feel good. Great family movie.

The writers must have had a copy of "The Bad News Bears" running constantly, because this movie is a direct ripoff of that classic. Unfortunately what you are left with is uninspiring, one from column A, two from column B nonsense. I realize its for kids and it is not meant to have deeper meanings, but it is still too predictable and cutesy.

I remember my cousins and I used to always watch these movies when I was a kid. I loved how these bad-playing, poor attitude-having kids could always be inspired to become champions, no matter how tough the odds and no matter how many times movies like this were remade with soccer, football, baseball, and dogs. Even though I've seen it a million times, I still get chills when the team works as a team and goes out to try their hardest. It's enough to make me, one of the least sporty people alive, want to join a sporting team. Another highlight, for me at least, were the guys. I always had at least one guy in the movie who I had a crush on and kept my undivided attention on. Who would've known back then that young Charlie (Joshua Jackson) would grow up to use big words and pretentious speeches on Dawson's Creek? Out of all those inspirational sports-are-good-for-kids movies, this was and always will be my favorite because it is the first one I can remember and the first I've ever seen. 1...2...3...Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack!

Just recently, I saw D2 and D3, my friend unfortunately did not have the first Mighty Ducks movie, so I had to watch those first then rent this one. The second and the third were pretty good movies, but I felt bad, because it felt like you're getting into a group of friends, and you don't know their history, you weren't there? You know that feeling, and as silly as it sounds, that's how I felt watching the sequels without seeing the first one.

Gordon is a lawyer who has had a little trouble with the lying in his career, therefore, he must do community service. When he sees a group of young pre-teen troubled youths playing a game of hockey, remembering his childhood love of hockey, he volunteers to become their coach in the Pee-Wee games. He starts off on a rocky relationship since he doesn't like kids, but he grows to love them and they do back learning that there is more to a game than just winning, but it'd be nice since they end up in the championships.

I loved The Mighty Ducks, I felt like it was a terrific family film and I'm surprised it wasn't played in my childhood since I was seven years old when it came out, but you know the saying, better late then never, right? I would highly recommend this up lifting story for any family!

7/10

I don't think The Mighty Ducks is a masterpiece in any shape or form, but it is an enjoyable film. I do agree that it is predictable, the plot is nothing particularly special and the ending especially doesn't really hold any surprises. But it is nicely filmed, with evergreen cinematography and pretty scenery and the music is pleasant. The script is good on the most part, there are some humorous parts but it is also somewhat touching, and the director Stephen Herek pitches the humour and melodrama at the right level. And the acting is spirited, with Emilio Estevez charming, dignified and fun as the disgraced lawyer who has to coach the worst ice hockey team and Joss Ackland solid as Hans. Also the ice-hockey scenes are done with just the right amount of flair. Overall, a sweet and fun movie, even with the predictable plot it is worth seeing. 8/10 Bethany Cox