daguchna I expected nice, light, but not too conventional movie with a cute animal and one of my favorite actors. I got only the last two things. Plot became predictable far too fast, but it wasn't that worse. When it was revealed that dad of kids died, general atmosphere of movie started to be too teary and pathetic (including crybaby Jeremy) and it discouraged me the most. Schematic plot was the next bad thing, especially when main characters, maybe except Isabel, weren't likable at all. Typically written villains resulted in terribly waste of potential - Richard E. Grant is one of the best actors I know and here his character is reduced to being howling, unfunny maniac. Only Hildegarde and other animals were nice in watching.If you want to show your children adventure movie with animal, better look for something else.

gn-ome My Friend and I refused to watch anymore of this movie.This was For three major reasons.1> It had a bad story line.2> was very badly shot(with a lot of cruddy camera work).3> all the actors were TERRIBLE.Especially Wolf and little girl.But generally everyone over-acted.Hildegarde was a great letdown to me, but I guess alright for the kiddies as they will like the really bad baddies and the really good goodies.But from my point of view a very lazy film that I could of probably done if I tried.All in all-If you're into crummy movies that have a clichéd plot ( or if you may be a kid). . .than this one is for you!

decibello This reminded me of an Enid Blyton book - Famous 5 or Secret 7 where the mum's at work & the kids have the most amazing adventures during the day, getting back in time for mum to say "OK, bathtime everyone". Really cute movie, very enjoyable, lots of fun, great for kids and parents too.

Denise J Hale This film reminded me of the sort of thing we'd see at Saturday Morning Kids club; independent 'ordinary' children, trying to solve their own problems and taking on the 'baddies'.Its plot is built around a widow, her 3 children and a duck. Whilst mum is trying to hold down a job the children try to help. Enter a bird-poacher whose dream is to own a beach-bar. In order to finance his scheme, with his young side-kick, he catches and sells exotic birds. The duck is kidnapped for use in his decoy operation - a wildlife sideshow. All the children want is their duck back.Richard E Grant plays the obnoxious Wolf, a scruffy bully, with a high opinion of his ability to impress the opposite sex and a low opinion about everything else.Enough to say it's a good film that hits its target audience without leaving adults cringing (except at the state of REG's feet!). It's a shame that it could not have had a general cinema release. My children were rivetted and I was pleased that, for once, they weren't watching a cartoon.