Courtesy of Good Deed Entertainment

A contemporary retelling of Colin Thiele’s classic Australian tale, ‘Storm Boy’ divulges the narrative of Michael Kingly, a successful businessmen and grandfather played with conviction by Geoffrey Rush (he elevates this otherwise routine family story) and his recount of a childhood relationship with a batch of rescued pelicans, one of which offers a beacon of ownership for his isolated childhood. Recounting the story to his granddaughter, “Storm Boy,” under the direction of aussie heavyweight Shawn Seet, allows Rush a solid canvas and narrative to work with. The only problem is, the film feels too cartoonish at inopportune moments. Specifically in the “villains” or poachers who hunt and kill animals for the sole purpose of providing an antagonist for the film.

Finn Little (playing the younger version of Rush) turns in a solid performance as the film cuts between the past and present. Granted, “Storm Boy” provides its young target demographic with a fine and endearing message, though, it’s pacing lags towards the second act when Seet’s film spends a good chunk of time setting up a finale that never quite hits all the check-marks. Of course, “Storm Boy” is a classic tale about a boy and his animal companion, and considering how choppy family offerings can seem nowadays, you could do much worse than this.

Grade: B-