The Flood: Who Will Save Our Children? (1993) (TV)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Chris Thomson

Writers (WGA):

Donna Kanter (story) and
David J. Kinghorn (story) ...

Release Date:

10 October 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

In rural Comfort, Texas, the strict protestant Horizon Bible church community holds its annual, pretty strictly supervised summer camp...

Plot Keywords:

Rescue | Bus | Prayer | Summer Camp | Male Bonding

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Joe Spano	...	Richard Koons
David Lascher	...	Brad Jamison
Michael A. Goorjian	...	Scott Chapman
Amy Van Nostrand	...	Linda Smith
Norm Skaggs	...	Jerry Smith
Renée O'Connor	...	Leslie
Scott Michael Campbell	...	Mike Smith
Blayne Weaver	...	Jeff Bowman
Mark Fairall	...	Mr. Chapman
Kim Krejus	...	Mrs. Chapman
Lisa Rieffel	...	Leanne Pond
Jerome Ehlers	...	Ray Masterman
David Franklin	...	Dave Villareal
Kelly Rummery	...	Jennifer
Holly Brisley	...	Tonya Smith

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

Australia | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company:

Wolper Productions

Camp bus tries to go full stream ahead.

A TV movie based on true events, this relates the sad events that happened as a bunch of kids tried to head home after some kind of Summer "Bible" Camp and ended up fighting for their lives, and to save the lives of others, in a rising, swirling flood that would claim ten victims.

There's no denying that this film was made with good intentions and that it tries to show a little bit of what those kids went through while also celebrating the way people came together in their efforts to help others and offer support but, sadly, it's no great shakes in the world of actual moviedom.

The cast all do okay (and fans of Australian soaps will enjoy spotting a few familiar faces, most notably an appearance by "Susan Kennedy" from Neighbours) and none of the teens in peril become too grating while waiting to see if they will be saved or lost to the water.

The funny thing about movies based on true events is that they can still trot out numerous clichés but, sometimes, those clichés end up being part of a truth because that's WHY they become clichés. We have the young lad who's ill, the rebellious kid with a heart of gold and a few others on display here but it's still involving enough to keep you watching.

It's bizarre to place this review here, seeing notes from other people who actually experienced the event and/or were personally affected by it but, as is always the case, I am simply reviewing this movie AS a movie and not as an accurate or justified record of events. From that point of view, it's standard TV movie stuff. And in the interest of fairness (and because I have been threatened if I do otherwise) I should point out that this is one of my partner's favourite movies so if you like true stories it may well be one of yours too.

See this if you like: United 93, Flood, Daylight.