True Heart (1997)

A brother and sister are plane-wrecked in Canada, where they must rely on the help of a native and his bear.

Director:

Catherine Cyran

Writer:

Catherine Cyran

Stars:

Kirsten Dunst, Zachery Ty Bryan, August Schellenberg

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Kirsten Dunst	...	Bonnie
Zachery Ty Bryan	...	Sam
August Schellenberg	...	Khonanesta
Dey Young	...	Wanda
Michael Gross	...	Dick
Tom McBeath	...	Quint
Ben Cardinal	...	Ranger Simon Blackcrow
John Novak	...	Louie
Vincent Gale	...	George
Darren Moore	...	Johnny
Mitchell Kosterman	...	Ranger Charlie Cartwright (as Mitch Kosterman)
Mark Acheson	...	Red Head Man
Garvin Cross	...	Bi-Plane Pilot
Duncan Fraser	...	Lloyd Nelson
Larry Musser	...	Ranger Virgil

Storyline

A brother and sister are plane-wrecked in Canada, where they must rely on the help of a native and his bear.

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Plot Keywords:

canada | bear | brother sister relationship | airplane crash | overalls | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Family

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for adventure violence and peril, and for language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Absturz in der Wildnis

Filming Locations:

British Columbia, Canada

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

When the two kids cut themselves loose from a rope tying them back-to-back to a tree, it's obvious that they could have easily wriggled free from under the rope. It was loosely wrapped around them as they sat with their backs to the tree, nothing else was tied, not their hands or feet, so they could have easily gotten out from under it.

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Connections

References The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996)

User Reviews

Good light entertainment

I thought this was a pretty good adventure flick. Perhaps not for everyone, but it was an entertaining midday movie if nothing more.

This movie is definitely more for kids and families. Some of the elements verge on magical (which has got some of the commenters on this site up in arms but I think the point is to suspend your disbelief - it's an adventure flick for children), morality plays a huge role and the line between good and evil is clearly defined.

Basically it's the story of how 2 children, Bonnie and Sam, find their way to safety after their plane crashes in the wilderness, helped by nature-loving wilderness-man Khonanesta and hindered by a group of greedy, selfish poachers with guns. The kids sort of find themselves the middle of an existing battle over the bears.

There are a few moral issues raised, which is standard and I think appropriate for the target audience. The conservation of nature vs the greed of the poachers (who are clearly defined as "bad guys" from the get-go). Acceptance and looking beyond first impressions are major themes - the kids have to learn to trust Khonanesta who seems strange to them at first (they also have to trust the bear to a degree). There is also an ongoing moral sub-plot about how they can't let go of the memory of their dead father and have a strong resentment towards their stepfather which Khonanesta tries to help them resolve.

Kirsten Dunst is always good, and always seems to have a knack for action/adventure- which this movie is certainly equal parts of. The Home Improvement kid was pretty stilted, didn't seem to really make much of his character which made parts of the script drag. Their relationship could have been more convincing. The Khonanesta character was a bit clichéd in the way he spoke, but I can't really see any other way they could have got the story across in a way that English speaking children could understand.

If you're looking for gritty realism you won't find it here, but if that's the case get outta the family section and grab something based on a true story. If you're after a story of hope and courage - family style - then you're on the right track with this one.