This Philip Pullman-inspired Australian fantasy adventure follows a brother and sister who discover that their creaky new home contains a portal to a netherworld inhabited by a population of armoured pangolins. What’s more, the arrival of Peter (Sam Everingham) and Verity (Alyla Browne) fulfils a prophecy that decrees that cautious, anxious Peter is the rightful king and saviour of the land. To realise the prophecy, he must solve a series of riddles and collect the pieces of a mysterious artefact.
The visual effects in The Secret Kingdom are decent – although pangolins, with their pink-rimmed eyes and crusty skin, are not the most appealing creatures. But this is mediocre at best as a piece of family entertainment. The performances – child, adult and pangolin alike – are painfully poor. And the stop-start pacing of the picture is a slog.