Swallows and Amazons

SWALLOWS AND AMAZONS

Director : Philippa Lowthorpe

Year : 2016

Genre : Adventure

Rating : ***1/2

There is something unashamedly antiquated and quintessentially British about this inoffensive big screen adaptation of Arthur Ransome's timeless children's story of adventure and exploration and with it's consistently beautiful cinematography, Northern English charm and consistently gorgeous urban locations, 'Swallows And Amazons' is a lighthearted counter agent to this years disappointing CGI-heavy blockbuster season. Apart from a somewhat shoe-horned in espionage subplot, the film follows the the book pretty closely, with four children journeying to a seemingly deserted island in the middle of a lake - only to find out that two other girls have already claimed the tiny rock for themselves. When compared to some of the more high profile releases this month, the movie may seem somewhat uneventful and expendable but thanks to a nicely nostalgic tone, a laid back yet unpatronising narrative and a series of fine supporting performances from the likes of Jessica Hynes, Kelly MacDonald, Harry Enfield and Rafe Spall, 'Swallows And Amazons' is a refreshingly simple yet undeniably likeable trip back into the carefree days of wicker baskets, steam trains, currant cake and good old fashioned imagination.