Patsy Lee and the Keepers of the 5 Kingdoms is a cute and fun adventure story that kids will absolutely adore.
Patsy Lee and the Keepers of the 5 Kingdoms is an adventure movie that is heavily geared towards children. It is rated G and offers fun and exciting visuals, as well as a unique mix of puppets and live action. The story itself delivers important messages, such as letting go of anger and the power of family.
While it certainly isn’t perfect, it is a wholesome film for families and young children. It is silly at times, but not too silly, with several moments that will have viewers of all ages laughing out loud. It never gets very complex, and all of the lessons to be learned are simple and honest ones.
A Fun Cast
James Hong plays Chuck Lee. His granddaughter, Patsy Lee, is played by Michelle Mao. These two are hilarious on screen together as they often butt heads. Chuck wants his daughter to embrace their culture more, and Patsy, well, she can’t even read Chinese. The two are suddenly thrust into a fantasy world where they learn of the five kingdoms, and must work together with Patsy’s friends to find their way home.
It is wonderful to see so much of James Hong in a film, and it becomes quite clear how easily he can carry a movie as a lead. He is phenomenal in this movie, elevating the performances of the young actors while throwing in a lot of silly mannerisms and humor. His character is a lovable one.
Matthew Sato takes on the role of Hopper, who is a bit of a love interest of Patsy’s. He is a little bit on the ditzy side, which offers a lot of comedic relief. The two don’t exactly have a chemistry on screen, and unfortunately it is a little bit forced at times. Still, the group of kids is great, especially Squirrel (played by Anna Harr) as she also delivers the comedy.
The only characters that don’t really work are the rat and chicken. They push things a bit too far and their one liners are hit or miss. Some of the things they do are a bit too disgusting for a child’s movie, but honestly, the kids will probably enjoy them the most.
A Movie For Kids
Patsy Lee and the Keepers of the 5 Kingdoms is very much a kids movie, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. It isn’t extremely deep and a lot of the action is mixed with humor — but it works for what it is. The puppetry is incredible, and while it is definitely low budget, along with the effects, it doesn’t take away from the heart of the film. In fact, it helps make it that much more entertaining and fun.
There is currently no release date for Patsy Lee and the Keepers of the 5 Kingdoms, which is a shame because this really could be a family friendly franchise of adventure stories. It ends on a cliffhanger, but considering it was filmed five years ago now, it is unlikely the story will be able to continue (largely in part due to the fact that the stars were kids when it was filmed, and are now in early adulthood).
About Patsy Lee and the Keepers of the 5 Kingdoms
A grandfather and curio shop owner in a small town in Arizona and his granddaughter are transported to a mystical land through a portal stone and have to find their way back.