The Legend of Longwood DVD review

A beautiful new film out of Ireland, The Legend of Longwood, is coming to DVD on June 4 from Shout! Factory, following its appearance at several film festivals in early 2015. An adventure for all ages, the release includes a fascinating behind-the-scenes featurette as a bonus feature.

Crumbling castles, mysterious riddles, frightening spirits, beautiful horses and a plucky, fearless heroine – director Lisa Mulcahy has lovingly burnished the most beloved coming-of-age elements in this “quest” film, set in the starkly beautiful landscapes of rural Ireland, set to music from Brave composer Patrick Neil Doyle.

The film stars Lucy Morton as Mickey Miller, a thoroughly modern 12-year-old American girl whose great love is horses. Not surprisingly, she has little enthusiasm for her mother’s plan to take Mickey and her little brother to start a new life in a run-down mill she has inherited in Longwood, a windswept Irish town at the end of the world. Mickey’s presence in Longwood coincides with the return of the Black Knight, a legendary ruler who found no peace after his baby daughter was taken from him, and whose appearances always mean that something evil is going to happen to the villagers. Mickey hears and sees things that others can’t, and forms an immediate bond with Silver, the proudest, haughtiest, most untamable horse in the stalls of a nearby castle. Realizing that she is directly linked to the story of the Black Knight, Mickey and her new friend Sean set out to redeem the knight so as to bring lasting peace to Longwood. But first she must save the lives of seven horses and thwart the evil plans of a greedy, ambitious woman – a mighty handful even for the bravest girl!

 

Ireland is such a gorgeous country and this film captures it in all its beauty with beautiful landscape shots and old world settings.  You will be transported along into this modern fairy-tale that the whole family is sure to enjoy.    The story is full of cliches from the greedy protagonist to saving animals, it really has it all.  Thanks to excellent writing and an incredibly talented cast it all comes together quite well and overcomes the over-done themes for a new and refreshing story.  If you are looking for something original and entertaining Longwood is a good choice.

Pre-order yours today from Shout!Factory for only $14.97.