Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Self-important, over-dramatic, uninspired.

Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

They ought to put a warning on movies like this: THIS IS FOR BELIEVING MORMONS ONLY!My wife and I scanning the net for entertainment got sucked into this mish-mash of bad acting and Mormon fiction. We have it all for a maudlin young folks story, the misplaced, unwanted kids with an erstwhile older non-druggie teen age sister and a potential gang- banger little brother who escape the government incompetent and uncaring bureaucracy and gang violence to come to the warm caring bosom of Mormondom with large families, doting parents and a wise grandfather steeped in Mormon mythology. Add some Aztec-like other- world fantasy characters from that great work of Joseph Smith fiction, mix it up and bingo! You got a movie to entertain young Mormons.Mormons will love it, as indeed, the two true believing reviewers posted here did. Non-Mormons like myself will likely not be able to sit through all the pablum and fantasy passed off as "truth" to the end. My objection here is not just based on passing off a set of myths and pseudo-history of a large religious corporation with documented cultic origins as fact: we're free to express whatever beliefs we want under our rights and liberties of freedom of religion, speech and social media. My review is based on the bad acting, the doggerel story line and the corny premise used in writing this mongrel of a movie.

The first time I saw the movie, I hadn't read the book. Just yesterday I saw it once more, but it was just about an entire different movie! I can honestly say, this movie is... just INCREDIBLE, and I ask several non-members just to watch this movie if any Mormon movie! I am a Mormon, and I truly respect my religion. But I do not think this movie should be ranked so harshly. I think it can tell a lot about the Mormon religion, but not make it look contrary to what it truly is. I personally love being a Mormon, but there are times when I get a little angry with things they do. For the most part, movies they make have kind of poor acting. True, the story line is good in most of the movies, but some...I got to admit, I am disappointed. The acting in this movie wasn't "out of this world" good acting, but I do think they portrayed their characters VERY well, especially the person who played Kiddoni! He did a marvelous job!(Possible spoilers after this point!) Now, going deeper, I looked at how they portrayed the gangsters and was a little confused. They all were white (as far as I've seen) and their accents seem a little abnormal to the general gangster today, but that I don't think is a large issue. Also, near the end when they surround the house, I think the acting went a little down hill, and there were some unnecessary pauses. And when the gangsters hear the horn on their vehicle sound, they surround it, with guns at the ready, and the man inside knocks over one of them with the door. It's cheesy, but rather humorous how when Hitch looks over and sees his buddies on the ground, one of them tries to pick himself up but falls again. I personally think that's a sign of "I didn't know the camera was rolling" but, it's a good laugh for me every time I watch it. And the ending... I thought it was very cliffhanging, and frankly sad. The rift in which she only can see Kiddoni but can't feel him, can be a very tear-jerking scene to watch. I love this movie, and I don't think I will get easily bored of it for a long time. I admonish EVERYONE if at all possible to see it. (and by everyone, I mean all religions alike or not alike.) Chris Hymordinger (don't know how to spell his last name) should definitely continue his work as a directer and *smirks* hire me to play Jim Hawkins in his Tennis Shoes movie. =p

This is not your usual LDS fare. The movie might be a little intense for the youngest of viewers. I saw a few young kids turn away and snuggle close to their parents during some of the more intense parts. But they were laughing at other parts and were genuinely entertained.If you're a Chris Heimerdinger fan, this movie is even more rewarding. It has great special effects, and a fun story. After getting burned out on recent LDS films, it was refreshing to sit down and feel like this was a 'real movie' for a change.I followed a couple out of the movie theater and overheard the husband say to his wife, "This is the first LDS film that I have liked".Good job raising the bar Chris.