Sabrina, Down Under (1999) (TV)

User Rating:

4.7/10   

Director:

Kenneth R. Koch

Writer (WGA):

Daniel Berendsen (written by)

Release Date:

26 September 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Fantasy

Plot:

Offshoot of the popular TV show finds the teen witch (Melissa Joan Hart) on a trip with her friend (Tara Charendoff). There she finds romance with a merman.

Plot Keywords:

Australia | Based On Comic Book | Hereditary Gift Of Witchcraft | Teenage Girl | Archie Comics

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Melissa Joan Hart	...	Sabrina Spellman
Tara Strong	...	Gwen (as Tara Charendoff)
Scott Michaelson	...	Barnaby
Lindsay Sloane	...	Fin
Nick Bakay	...	Salem Saberhagen (voice)
Peter O'Brien	...	Dr. Julian Martin
Rebecca Gibney	...	Hilary Hexton, the Cat & Woman
Conrad Coleby	...	Jerome Hestor
Steve Harmon	...	Dr. Martin's Assistant
Victor Parascos	...	Helicopter Pilot
Ronen Stoliar	...	Reef Diver
Enrico Mammarella	...	Resort Manager
Scott McLean	...	Sea Wasp Crewman
Thom Fountain	...	Maitre D
Dave Nemeth	...	Wally Gilliams, TV Newscaster

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

Company:

Hartbreak Films

Trivia:

In preparation for her role as the mermaid Fin, Lindsay Sloane took a scuba diving course in Byron Bay so she was confident under water. She also played Valerie Birkhead on "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" from 1997-1999.

Movie Connections:

Follows Life with Archie (1962) (TV)

Eminently forgettable

Lame and lazy, this made for TV feature length adventure for the teenage witch shows how much the TV series owes its spark to the talents of Caroline Rhea and Beth Broderick - both are absent from this film. There is very little to like here, with flat performances, scant, predictable plot and an intensely annoying soundtrack. This film achieves some kind of distinction by making Australia's Great Barrier Reef appear to be a really, really dull place to visit. Melissa Joan Hart ambles through this film, giving the strong impression that she's actually on holidays and doesn't particularly want to be doing this movie. There's not much to inspire from anyone else in the cast, either.

For hard core fans of STTW only - and uncritical ones at that.