The time and place are somewhere that has both steampunk and fantastic elements. The clothing and cultural affect is late Victorian; the technology, steam, mechanical, with some electricity, but no electronics. The dual quests are for a lost brother and a magical, powerful box.

The Mundi family and Charity are on one side of the quest for the box. Luger and Monica are on a different side. Charity gains some particular intelligence about Luger's efforts, plus a broken key relevant to the box. He relays some information and the pieces of the key. Soon thereafter, the Mundi family is attacked. Charity helps Mariah escape, but Charles, Catherine, and Felix are kidnapped. The parents, Charles and Catherine, and questioned harshly by Luger, and Felix is made to work in a particular mine.

Mariah works at Luger's hotel to gain intelligence, disguised as a new porter. He has some success at this, and meets Sacha. After Luger gets the two broken key pieces from Felix and Mariah, he adds another piece to complete it. The fun really begins, as Luger gets closer to the box.

-----Scores-----

Cinematography: 8/10 Dark and murky, but well shot.

Sound: 9/10 No problems.

Acting: 7/10 Sam Neill was good, as was Michael Sheen. Aneurin Neuman grew on me during the film.

Screenplay: 8/10 Moves right along. I'm looking forward to the sequel. As a YA film, this was fine.

Obviously over rated but it's a movie with flaws and yet . . . . Only actors I recognize are Sam Neill, sure he did the film for the money, and Ioan Gruffudd, a.k.a. Reed Richards and Horatio Hornblower. For 25 million they did get a movie with great sets and fairly good actors. What they needed was a better screen writer. No doubt if I knew the book, which I assume is aimed at the YA steampunk audience, I would have followed the plot with more clarity. This isn't a bad movie but there are plot jumps that leave you wondering if you missed something while reaching for some popcorn. Definitely needed those transitions that are probably on some cutting room floor. While it seems clear this film was shot with a sequel in mind, you can watch it as a stand alone. Basically if you are home and it's a rainy or snowy day and you want a well shot escapist film to watch then this is a contender. Plot is basic: Before parents disappear they hide two parts of amulet with their children along with a cryptic warning; younger brother gets taken by bad guys; older brother goes in search of younger sibling and gets some help along the way; and relatively happy ending with cliffhanger. Think of it as Warehouse 13 in 19th Century.

I remember seeing a trailer for this movie back in '13, but forgot all about it. I do like this movie, apart from the very end. It is now 2018, and I find no hint of there being a sequel. If there was, rather think it would have come out long before now. It is unfortunate, as well as irritating.