User reviews

A visually stunning Australian film that has worldwide appeal for people of ALL ages. The themes about family, friendship, love, loss and loneliness are universal and rounded out with a message of hope for a better future. This is a throughly enjoyable and emotional "retelling" of Colin Thiele's book of the same name which has been in print for over 55 years. This is not a remake - this is a retelling and should not be compared to the 1976 version. This film stands on its on merit, it is beautifully shot and superbly acted. It's a remarkable film that will stay with you forever.

Perhaps it's because I can't remember the original but I found this film to be very well crafted and moving. I don't understand the criticism I've read from the various professional critics. I say see it. If you don't feel the urge to tear up you're made of stone and probably not a movie lover. I liked the way it was framed and the wistfulness Geoffrey Rush brought to his role. It's a credit to all involved.

Beautiful.

It's a beautiful story. I was not expecting such a amazing tale.

It's about an old man who tells his granddaughter about a relationship he had with a pelican when he was a young boy.

Everything just lined up perfectly with the story. I especially love the score playing in the background.

Thought it was incredible that they were able to get these birds to do such good acting.

Worth seeing.

F you're going to remake an Australian classic it must be compared to the Original did anyone else get past the first episode of the recent dreadful television version of Picnic at Hanging Rock?

Storm Boy is 1000% Superior to that awful insult.

BUT!

After we saw this new version of Storm Boy today I watched the Classic Award winning 1976 version ,which I much prefer because of its beauty and simplicity and David Gulpilill's ( he has a brief cameo as Fingerbones father in the newest version) superb portrayal of Fingerbone Bill, which to my mind is watered down in this new version and in its place we have Geoffrey Rush's new character the adult and aged Storm Boy Mike Kingsley and the new plot line of greedy Corporate land grabs, my other criticism is not directed at Jay Courtney 's acting in the role of Storm Boys father Hideaway Tom it's just that he's too clean cut and nice compared to Peter Cummins rough castaway personality in the same role in 1976.

I'm not saying this is a bad movie ,it's worth seeing the cast is good ,especially Finn Little as Storm Boy and Geoffrey Rush is a fine actor but when I watched the original version I asked myself the question Does this new version add anything more to the story ? And my answer was the opposite I think it diminishes the indigenous spirit and atmosphere of the 1976 version and replaces it with a hard contemporary sub plot that intrudes on the integrity of Colin Thiele's original story and reminds me of the saying " if it ain't broke don't fix it..

This is a really nice fictional story about a young Australian boy in the 1950s finding three new Pelican hatchlings on the shore after some hunters had killed a number of birds. He took them home and in spite of his dad's thought that they would die overnight, they in fact survived and grew to adulthood, fed hacked up fish. It immediately reminded me of the 1996 "Fly Away Home" where the girl finds Canadian geese eggs, hatches them, and raises the geese.

The other half of the story is in modern times, the boy as an older man retired from his company but still on the board, being encouraged by his 17-yr-old granddaughter to prevent a project that would threaten natural habitats. His experiences with the Pelicans all those years earlier will be an influence.

Good movie, speaks to friendship, family values, and trying to do the right thing. I found it on Kanopy streaming movies via my public library's subscription. My wife skipped.

I watched the original Storm Boy as a young child. It made quite an impression on me at the time. Even such that to this day I continue to think of all pelicans as Mr Percival.

Remaking a much loved film will always invite comparisons with the original. One would hope that the remake could add something new and adapt the story to reflect contemporary values and events. This remake attempts to do those things, but ultimately falls flat.

First, I should acknowledge that Finn Little does a superb job acting as Storm Boy. His performance, along with the pelican scenes, are the highlights of the film.

Jai Courtney as Hideaway Tom and Trevor Jamieson as Fingerbone Bill perform the other key roles in the film. Yet they are never really given the chance to show the emotional depth of their characters. Their back stories are briefly alluded to yet never fully developed.

The film's major flaw is that it uses Geoffrey Rush in the role of an older man reflecting on his childhood as a Storm Boy. This is unnecessary and seems to suggest that the director and writers had a lack of confidence in the ability of the other actors to carry the story on their own.

Similarly, the linking of the story to a contemporary battle over mining and indigenous land rights in the Pilbara seems unnecessary and even clumsy. Surely it would be sufficient to focus more on ecological concerns about the Coorong wetlands where the story takes place rather than somewhere remote and abstract? Furthermore, Fingerbone Bill could have been given more of a role to highlight indigenous understanding of the land and his people's ongoing struggle for recognition of their culture and land rights.

For those who are not familiar with the original this film will probably pass as good entertainment. Hopefully it will lead to more appreciation of the original work.

I really loved this remake of the Colin Thiele classic. The film is moody, atmospheric and absolutely lovely to look at. The indigenous content is sympathetic and well done. Geoffrey Rush has never been better in my opinion and the young boy and the pelicans are nothing short of wonderful to watch. South Australia's Coorong looks just beautiful. I'm no critic, but I loved this film.

For those who are unaware, this is remake of the original Australian hit which featured in 1976 and is based on a well known novel.

Our film is based on the retelling of the life of Michael Kingle, aka Storm Boy. Michael (played by Geoffrey Rush) is now an old man who has done well in life in regards to business and is currently retired, now having less involvement with the major company he is well know for. But Michael is also a grandfather. When strange visions begin to reappear around Michael's life he is encouraged to retell the story of his young life to his grand daughter. This is a story of friendship, love, hate, sadness and a little Pelican known as "Mr Percival".

As the film began I did find the introduction to our leading characters slightly confusing and I started to think about how young kids would process this too. As we are introduced to Geoffrey Rush's character, Michael, we are also introduced to his world of past business dealings, friends and family. To top it off, Michael's visions could almost come across as a haunting and frightening. While I understanding what Michael was going through at the start of the film, I felt the pace and style was rather unusual to introduce the characters and get the film in motion. Once Michael goes back in time, the film correctly sets sail.

I must also put in writing that the performance by newcomer Fin Little (aka young Storm Boy) was fantastic to see on screen. His work was rather impressive in this touching and dramatic role. Young Storm Boy's father is played by Jai Courtney. And while Jai Courtney is well suited to the role, I did feel some lines were delivered poorly and lacked passion, in particular during what I expected to be touching moments between a father and son.

I must give praise to the style of filming and the use of landscapes. There is plenty to admire when it comes to the sea and the land of Australia. The choice of music and the way the film transitions between young and old Storm Boy gave me goosebumps mostly due to Geoffrey Rush's stand out performance. I was also left rather impressed by the talented Pelican's used in the film which I later read were all real and trained for the film. I personally haven't seen anything like it in film before and it was great to see the talent and filming of these beautiful creatres.

Overall, Storm Boy is a great Australian film which I feel came to cinemas somewhat under the radar. This is a film that covers so many themes of loss, sadness, love, hate and friendship. By the end of the film I found it impossible not to be touched by this film, water also leaking from my eyes (and judging by my cinema audience, I wasn't the only one). This is a great film for those who have never heard the tale or perhaps for those who would love to revisit the film and go down memory lane. I was concerned with the film's opening and introduction of selected characters and some moments which I felt lacked from the actor Jai Courtney. The performances by newcomer Fin Little (aka young Storm Boy) and the Pelicans alone were impressive to see.

7.0/10 Walkden Entertainment

Beautifully done ... excellent cast ... the most touching movie I have seen in a while .. not a movie to miss !

I believe some of the criticism of this remake is harsh. It is easy to think of the original which was a much loved film and say that this is not up to the same standard. The filmmakers seem to have deliberately chosen not to replicate the first and should be congratulated for not doing so. It is lovingly filmed and is nicely edited between flashbacks of the old and young Michael. Performances are solid without being outstanding. There are nice moral messages without going over the top. Take the obligatory tissues for films with animals. These parts are nicely filmed and not over the top. Please don't choose not to see the film because of Geoffrey Rush's appearance. Think of it as a great actor playing a terrific part. I think that if people go in with an open mind, not think about the original and see this on its own merit, I think most will come away saying, 'this is a nice film'.

Story between mankind and animals weren't easy to film and it got twisted heavily for how closely bond can be between wild animals and human. But this movie make the story tell his own way. A biz man look at his past and telling a story between himself and Mr. Pervical. Something that everyone should have a small story to tell from their past. What's your story?

Its the old formula, but this time incredibly boring, I don't know how its getting these glowing reviews.

A beautiful film. It is the first conclusion and to define it is not easy or fair. A boy, a pelican, Australia, memories and drops of fairy tale. And, obvious, Geoffrey Rush Rush and Finn Little. A beautiful film for the grace of storytelling, for the way to translate the flavors of childhood in fair manner and for something remaining personal echo. Short, just beautiful. In real deep sense.

A well done sequel of sorts to the original classic and tastefully tied into the original movie. We see the original boy now a grandfather marrying the past and present with ecological issues and the fight against blind profiteers. Its more like what you see on the news rather than a fictional story. Even though they changed some of the original movie in some recreated "memory" scenes its done well and keeps to the feeling of the scene in the original movie Especiall since one of the original stars, David Gupilil, passed recently and this movie I don't think is disrespectful to the memory of this great.

The story itself is a bit boring, at least the visuals are good.

I give it a 9 for the story telling and inspiration these actors gaved. This is a under-rated movie overlooked by millions and looked down by a few. This for me is by far one of the BEST Drama films I have yet to seen 2019 the visual camera really good the story, the acting the whole project. I know if your reading this now you may say it's another movie involving animals and kids but this is what makes meaning to life and teaches our youth today how to be how to care for living creatures that now days movies lack on.

Michael "Storm Boy" Kingley (Geoffrey Rush) recounts his childhood to his disapproving granddaughter Madeline Downer (Morgan Davies). Storm Boy (Finn Little) grew up on a remote coast of Australia with his father Hideaway Tom (Jai Courtney). He is befriended by aboriginal Fingerbone Bill (Trevor Jamieson). There is a fight between hunters and conservationists. The hunters massacre pelicans and Storm Boy finds a nest with three newborn birds. He decides to raise them with Bill's help.

This is based on a novel and previously adapted. I don't know any of the source material. This is sweet. It's nice. I don't think that it's as impactful as it wants to be. Maybe there is something lost in translation from book to screen.

We watched this film with our ten year old daughter and were delighted with the message in it.

A wonderful film of grace, heartache, care and redemption.

It holds up the current concern for the environment and the importance of family relationships.

Storm Boy is a drama film based on the 1964 novel of the same name by Colin Thiele. Starring Geoffrey Rush and Jai Courtney, it is a mostly well made modern adaptation of the classic Australian story that marginally improves upon the original 1976 film.

In South Australia, retired businessman Michael Kingley (Geoffrey Rush) recounts a story of his childhood to his grand-daughter Madeline (Morgana Davies). When he was young, Michael (Finn Little) lived with his father Tom (Jai Courtney) on the isolated coastline of Coorong, and was good friends with a local Aboriginal man named Fingerbone Bill (Trevor Jamieson). One day, Fingerbone Bill and the young Michael discover three orphaned baby pelicans which Michael rescues and cares for until they grow to full size. Forming a close bond with the pelicans, Michael names them Mr. Proud, Mr. Ponder, and Mr. Percival, the latter of which he becomes the closest with.

Perhaps the best told version of Colin Thiele's classic novel, Storm Boy is an entertaining update that is respectful to its source material, even if it does take the occasional unnecessary liberty. The flashbacks to the modern day scenes didn't always work and did end up feeling out of place at times. Thankfully, the ever-reliable Geoffrey Rush playing the older Michael helped make them much more tolerable. However, the moments that occurred in the original story were handled quite well. I particularly liked the scenes where the young Michael was feeding the baby pelicans and teaching them how to fly. This is made even better by the great performance from relative newcomer Finn Little, whose natural playful banter with the pelicans was nice to watch. Overall, this is a fine retelling of the classic novel, if one were to ignore some of the contemporary modern changes.

I rate it 7.5/10

Plot is simple and predictable.

Acting is over the top and feels very fake.

Overly Hollywoodised and relies on that 'feel good' sentiment to make it appear like a worthwhile movie, but because of the lack of story, lack of originality in the plot, lack of character development, lack of anything we haven't seen done to death, we're left with excessive sentiment to hide all of the above.

Had to watch this because of work, but won't be watching it again.

The Australian TV and movies industry are deteriorating at a rapid rate it'd be a crisis if the audiences weren't sucked in by unrealistic sentiment and unrealistic fight scenes. Oh well, it is what is it, I guess.

This is a great family film. It shows how our passions, tensions between kids and parents affect the dynamics of the family. With a pelican pet that comes into play, a family comes together. Be ready to get heartbroken in this movie.

We need more films like this! Absolutely amazing! Thank you :)