GUENOT PHILIPPE At first sight, it seems to be a Disney Channel stuff, a movie destined to kids and families for matinees shows. But, believe me, it is not. The first part is rather lousy, flat and uninteresting but the following is worth watching. You have different paces in this TV film. This is definitely a survival and the natural settings are beautiful. But I am not sure that this was so close to the actual events it was inspired from. This was much fiction, more spectacular than the reality, for obvious reasons. The final sequence is mind blowing, unforgettable. So, before showing it to your kids, beware. Yes, the most unusual here is the difference of paces, some parts for children, and other destined to adults, and not sissies. Curious but highly interesting. Great Aussies piece of work. Some elements are difficult to be believed in. SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERSAfter the kids, stabbed to last gangster to death in the most brutal way, bloody feast, the return to their school duties, as if nothing happened. I am not sure that this really happened this way. And the last image of this terrific little movie is also unforgettable.

Carlos Idelone This Review may contain spoilers. To have children thrown into such violence and even enact such violence themselves, I imagine would be extremely traumatic for them, even coming from the farm, where they kill animals. I don't think, that it would be happy school days, business, as usual after that. However; real children do have to deal with violence every day, so I appreciate, that this film isn't "Disney- ized" and shows the tough stuff. The children were portrayed quite realistically and their bond with their teacher seemed believable. The children seemed quite independent, as products of the outback. One reviewer made reference to the "Lord of the Flies". Quite thought-provoking.

rychlyhroch I watched this movie when I was 18 and it made a great impression on me. I went wild, began to smash everything in my flat, and when my parents kicked me out, I continued to run through the park and scream and curse. Why? I don't know, but those filthy, cruel, ruthless kids and their nasty teacher disturbed me very much indeed. I even wrote a song in which I kill children and rape teachers. And that hint that the kids maybe became sexually intimate with the teacher also made me mad. I am discussing it with my therapist at this moment and it is very interesting story. I am 41 now, and I don't have any kids. I kinda have a problem with it. Consider it before you let your kids watch it.

jiansulee I'm yet another 80's kid who saw this on TV and was scared witless but didn't know the name of the movie and eventually couldn't recall if it was real or just a bad nightmare (a nightmare that happened to recur on and off for the following 2 decades!!!). The masked kidnappers left permanent scars on my 8 yr old psyche, still have vivid flashbacks of the the farmhouse scenes, and am now reminded of the nerve-wracking cave swimming escape too. I must have shut off the movie before the ending, but now, 20 years later, I am happy to know they defeated the villains, albeit quite gruesomely. Thank you internet and IMDb for connecting me to the name of the movie as well as other traumatized viewers! Also, so relieved to know I didn't make the whole thing in my head.