The Challenge (TV 2003)

It's an action adventure/adventure comedy. They play estranged twins with very opposite personalities. Lizzie is very focused and driven, while Shane is more relaxed, but concerned about ... See full summary »

Director:

Craig Shapiro

Writers:

Elizabeth Kruger (screenplay), Michael Swerdlick (screenplay),

Stars:

Ashley Olsen, Mary-Kate Olsen, Brian Skala

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ashley Olsen	...	Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Dalton
Mary-Kate Olsen	...	Shane Dalton
Brian Skala	...	Marcus
Lukas Behnken	...	Adam
Sarah Bastian	...	Kelly (as Sera Bastian)
Joe Michael Burke	...	Max
Zakk Moore	...	Justin
Theo Rossi	...	Anthony
Diana Carreno	...	J.J.
Ty Hodges	...	Charles (as Eric Ty Hodges)
Jeannette Weegar	...	Sasha (as Jeanette Weegar)
Pablo Recasens	...	Big Joe
Billy Aaron Brown	...	Himself
Ben Easter	...	Himself
Brocker Way	...	Himself

Storyline

It's an action adventure/adventure comedy. They play estranged twins with very opposite personalities. Lizzie is very focused and driven, while Shane is more relaxed, but concerned about the environment. Both girls are chosen for a Survivor-like popular game show with college scholarships as the prize.

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Plot Keywords:

opposites | scholarship | island | mexico | sibling estrangement | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Family

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Certificate:

G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 May 2005 (Hungary)

Also Known As:

A kihívás

Filming Locations:

Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dualstar Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When the girls, Adam, and Marcus split up on the ATV's after finding that Max is following them, we see that Marcus is the one driving the boys' ATV, but later on, we catch a glimpse of Adam driving it.

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Connections

Referenced in Home for Actresses (2011)

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Soundtracks

"I Got You Babe"
Written by Sonny Bono
Performed by UB40 and Chrissie Hynde
Courtesy of DEP International
Under License from Virgin Records America

User Reviews

What can I say? It's an Olsen twins movie

Shane and Lizzie are sisters whose parents divorced. Shane went with her mother to California, and she cares about nature, she refuses to eat meat, and she practices yoga. Lizzie stayed with her father in the Washington, D.C., area, and she is intelligent, politically involved, driven to succeed, and carries a cell phone everywhere. Both girls want to change the world, in their own way.

Shane and the others wonder why there are only seven contestants when eight is normal. It seems Lizzie is late (unusual for her, actually), and when she finally does show up, Shane is not happy. Both girls come close to quitting.

The show is part 'Survivor' and part 'Fear Factor'. The eight young people are divided into two teams. Since the show is being filmed in Mexico, the teams are the Aztecs and the Mayans. Both sisters end up on the Mayan team.

As is often true in Disney movies, the ones you don't want to win get ahead in the competition, and you begin to wonder about the team you support, who are subjected to humiliation whenever they fail. But both Shane and Lizzie contribute unique abilities to their team, so there is a chance.

Though I have seen only clips of reality shows, I thought the 'Challenge' program seemed very realistic in its presentation, as if I was watching that show rather than a movie about it. The acting performances were stereotypical for the most part. But I especially enjoyed the conceited swimmer on the Aztec team. And I can't help but like those Olsen twins. At times, especially in the blooper reel at the end and in the interviews that appeared on the 'Challenge' program, they seemed more sophisticated than the cute little girls we have come to know. But they have yet to shake that adorable image.

It wasn't a great movie, and not a classic by any means, but it was Disney-style fun.