Recovering passwords was never as entertaining or elaborate as in Riddle of Fire which premiered this week at Fantastic Festival 2023. The film shows a trio o’ badasses stealing a console that has yet to be released. Mom has password protected the TV. Mom will give up her password if they buy a blueberry pies. Meet Microsoft’s New Surface LaptopsWritten and directed by Weston Razooli,
has a very harmless, childlike setup, but it’s much more than that. First clue is a young woman reciting a poem before the titles. This sets the scene for an epic fantasy adventure. Second, the kids arrive on dirt bikes with ski masks and paintball guns. Razooli’s kid-friendly adventure is a homage to movies like The Goonies and Stand by Me. The kids in this film are smart and ruthless. Sometimes they need subtitles. Alice (Phoebe Ferro) is the bravest, quickest and de facto leader in the group. Hazel (Charlie Stover) is a quick-witted crack shot who has a soft corner for Alice. Jodie, Hazel’s younger brother, is a very eloquent speaker, but you may not understand everything he says. Together, the trio form a gang that feels somehow completely out of another era, despite their use of modern technology.As the gang continues their quest for the pie, they meet an evil group of poachers led by Anna-Freya (Lio Tipton). Anna wields some strange, otherworldly power over her group. Her defiant teenage daughter Petal also shares this. Petal joins Alice, Hazel and Jodie in their quest to finish the story, bringing a new supernatural element into this already fantastical tale. The story has some awkward edits, asides, uncomfortable situations and fantasy poems. It’s so endearing that you can’t resist it. You are quickly captivated by these kids’ unwavering desire to play games and you join in. The film often reaches ridiculous parody levels, but Razooli who stars as a poacher makes sure you cheer for the kids. It was a time when life was full of adventure and nothing went wrong. Your friends were your world. Riddle of Fire was the world premiere of this film at Cannes Film Festival last month. It will have its U.S. premier at Fantastic Fest in 2023. Want more io9 News? Check out when to expect the latest
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