Hmmmm .Well really, I really thought that NZ would,of produced something a bit better than than that,a wee bit disappointing to say the the least,my daughter enjoyed most part of it.

Oh no, why why why didnt someone tell Mr King to find another film to execute. For years I wondered of my favourite telly series and what would eventuate all these years later and I am gutted. If anyone dare steal my last hope for 'dog star' It would def have an impact on my opinion of nz directors

I hardly ever comment on these kinds of things - but having just seen this movie - I feel I should say something.

Sam Neil is a great actor - but not even he and the amazing WETA effects can save this film. The film features the typical horribleness of new zealand actors (I myself am a kiwi) who find themselves in a feature film - a totally lack of subtlety. I'm thinking particlarly of the cousin who squalked and over acted embarrasingly along with the scene when the mother shows the girl her room is cringe material and I physically groaned as the mother tried to make her dramatic 5 seconds by smothering any shade of realism the scene requiered.

I read the book - maybe 14 times when I was young... But New Zealanders need not be proud of this movie - it seriously just blows and anybody who says any differently is either on the films payroll or hopefull of some kind of backrub by NZ on air. Whalerider - great, Flight of the Conchords, stunning, Under the mountain - epic failure (and I tried to get hopefull)

Saw it last night at the last Auckland screening. The film is pretty average and as with 'Black Sheep' never quite delivers on its potential. The aerial shots seemed to be stock digital footage and while its good to see Auckland in panorama they never really connected with the narrative very well. The music was very overwrought and distracting. Its a director's right to change the novel's narrative and the characterisation but I failed to see how starting the movie with the death of the twins mother added anything. Instead it disconnected the twins at a time when their psychic ability would have made the whole thing far spookier right from the beginning. In the novel Jones is already known around the lake as someone stalking the Wilberforces. It would have made the whole story more concise and compelling to keep this aspect. Not killing Ricky was a mistake, arresting Jones was unnecessary and Rachel was undeveloped as a character when in actuality the film built toward her true powers becoming fully apparent. My main problem was the script. Its a film for young audiences but there was no need to dumb it down so much. Nat Lees was great tho. The closeups on his face were awesome. I would have cast him as Jones and cast Sam Neil as Wilberforce. Oliver Driver did a good job and Matt Sunderland's talents were completely wasted. On the whole, another missed opportunity and another forgettable film.

a good movie okay a bit diffrent from the tv series Oliver Driveris good in it sam neil good and the way he sets the cop shop on fire as well ricky and his girl friend good actors racheal and theo were good aunt and uncle okay and it went behind the story about the wilberforces and explained about the other twins and what happened

Why screw around with the plot of a wonderful book. FFS. Really disappointing.

Dear Jonathan King, What were you thinking? You have ensured that the term 'Wilberforce' disappears from the New Zealand vernacular through your skinny version of a what was a classic New Zealand based story for a whole generation of New Zealanders. Sure, competing with the CGI of hollywood produced numbers makes it hard to stand out but at least a half-way good narrative can make an impression and lets be honest here you were working with good material. There is a reason why writers like Maurise Gee win awards , they devise stories that are complete and full in plot. Skipping over the twins relationship, adding in a dead mother, failing to acknowledge the significance of Jonesy (though thank god for Sam Neill) and the over -produced, lets induce a feeling music score- and the uber hilarious Wilberforce house that hello looked like the inside of a studio because hello it was, well...you've pretty much ensured another generation of New Zealanders do not shudder at the word wilberforce. Even the aerial shots dd nothing but evoke annoyance and frankly you just didn't care or even believe the twins which is the soul of the book and series.

We were laughing at the end...Make twins dead. Hilarious.

Ollie Driver is an awesome actor! lay off it's a kids movie, what are you bitter old weirdo's doing watching it anyway? If you want a trip down memory lane then go and watch, but if you are an adult wanting a thrilling , ground breaking movie why the hell go to a kids one?

Thanks for the correction Graeme, much appreciated. Sounds like you face the same late hours and insane deadlines that we do!

I loved the tv series when I was a child. I also remember seeing it at primary school at the end of the year as a treat. We were all crammed into the little school library to watch it on video.

I named my son Theo, which I got from the book of course.

Disappointed to see that people think the film is not so good,I was hoping for something fantastic. Sometimes we should leave well enough alone.