The Three Investigators and the Secret of Terror Castle
A new case for the cult detectives! Not by coincidence, a mysterious videotape falls into the hands of Jupiter Jones (CHANCELLOR MILLER), Pete Crenshaw (NICK PRICE) and Bob Andrews (CAMERON MONAGHAN) during Jupiter's birthday party in Rocky Beach. On it is a recording of Jupiter's long dead parents. In their message they want to communicate to their son the key to an especially tricky riddle.
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- Cast:
- Chancellor Miller , Nick Price , Cameron Monaghan , James Faulkner , Jonathan Pienaar , Ron Smerczak , Anette Kemp
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Reviews
Very disappointing...
Very Cool!!!
Nice effects though.
what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.
Having read The Three Investigators in the 70's & 80's, I've wondered what they would be like in the 21st century. Well, this is it. Sort of. But first you have to get over the fact that other than the words 'Steven Terrell' and 'Castle', there is nothing in the movie that resembles the book. You also have to get over Bob being a curly haired redhead without glasses.While this was the first book, it is the second film that was made. The first being The Secret of Skeleton Island. Like the first film, this is a German production, filmed in South Africa. They slipped up at the end of the movie when the Rolls Royce drove on the wrong side of the road for California, but the correct side for South Africa. As with the first film, most of the plot points were ridiculous. With access to 21st century technology they had GPS, but why didn't they do an internet search to find out who Steven Terrell was? In the book they did the research and went in knowing everything about him. Why move the castle from the Hollywood Hills, near their home, to the Sierra Nevada Mountains? What's the deal with the psycho sheriff? Is that view Germans have of Americans? If you have a county sheriff he as to be psycho? The tie in with Jupiter's parents was also ridiculous. And the most ridiculous of all was having the same villain as the first movie. What is it with Germans need for a French villain? Any movie that makes me use the word ridiculous this much can't be rated higher than 5 stars, but I'll give it 6 because The Three Investigators are a part of my life and I'll watch anything about them (like Harry Potter, if you read the books, you'd understand). Had I watched this movie under a different title, and didn't try to associate the movie with the book characters, I would have enjoyed it more. At some point I will watch it again and enjoy it more as I've numbed myself to the flaws. The characters are done well, except for Bob (no offense to Cameron Monaghan's acting. He just isn't Bob).
I am a teenager, and the movie is surely for teenagers. I read three investigators book a lot of. I think this movie has almost all the things three investigators have included theirs card,rocky beach, sulvage yard and much more. But this movie's plot is not completely full. It is missing some three investigator's action and thriller. But overall i am happy to see them !! xD I wish there will be some more movie like this by three investigators.The previous one is not so good. This is better than the previous one.Jupitar jones character is very awesome, on other hand bob's character is not so good. But a true fan of the three investigators will surely like it.
There is a question mark after the title of my review above, and with good reason.The movie was well filmed, looked quite professional with nice takes and good camera-work. But everyone loves a good story and good acting. This is where the Investigators fall short.While watching the movie, I was reminded of those old family movies we used to see in the 60's and 70's, you know the kind? With an implausible plot, poor lines, studied expressions and gestures, and the eternal ever-so-predictable story outcomes. Still, you watch because, maybe, you're bored, or have nothing else to do, or you like to perceive the scenes unfolding and be able to say "I knew that!" This is just that kind of movie. Judging from the cheesy, infantile plot, it seems it was made mainly for the very young viewers, maybe preteens who are still not old enough to piece a basic plot together and make solid decisions. So, they just watch, not to understand really, but just to see what happens next. I wonder, however, if this last remark holds much truth, because I am a drama teacher and coach, and I see many of my 6, 7 or 8 year-olds with minds that work much faster than what is implied in this movie. There were several scenes where you'd have to be either really young, or a partial moron, not to figure out.These teen "Investigators", then, come up with the most mind-bending solutions to puzzles without too many apparent clues, drawing post-007 conclusions from thin air. "Terror Castle" was no castle and there was no terror in it, other than the creepy environs and Gothic atmosphere. The story wants to portray some kind of 'paranormal' experts and 'crime detectives'; the only thing I found 'paranormal' was these youngsters playing a potentially 'dangerous' game of 'mom and pop heroes' in bad taste. What the "scary" Sheriff was needed for on those abandoned grounds was not explained, nor why his daughter was fascinated with reincarnation, and what she was doing in the "castle" to begin with. Everything they seemed to need to carry out their quest seemed to either pop into view, or 'magically' appeared in their backpacks. After a while of this, you start wondering if there's something you need to get done to get away, or if you should just fall asleep.It wasn't awful, but I won't give this one more than a '3'. Your mileage might differ, but if you watch it, see if you don't agree this one is best left in the 'forgettable' bin.
As a child I read many of the three investigators books, being my favourite series. Discovering that a film had been made about the characters I had grown to love was wonderful, but would it live up to my expectations? Sadly, it was a little disappointing. There was good action, and Im sure children will find it entertaining, but I feel much of the treasures in the book are missing. The exciting headquarters, hidden in the midst of a junk yard, only accessible by several mysterious tunnels is reduced to a caravan out in the open. Jupiter Jones, a brilliant mind, full of sharp remarks and the lead role in the book is barely intelligent and just dull and grey. The dialogue was also put together without giving much sense of feeling. Its not a big Hollywood production, so hats of for what they achieved, and I'm glad for the chance to have watched the books come to life.