RIDDLE OF FIRE
Starring: Charlie Stover, Phoebe Ferro, Skyler Peters, Lorelei Mote, Lio Tipton, Charles Halford, Danielle Hoetmer, and Weston Razooli
Director: Weston Razooli
NICK
Shot on gorgeous 16mm film, Riddle of Fire has a vintage look to it that really enhances the picture. A modern day fairy-tale, this is an exploration of a child’s imagination and that time in our lives where anything could become an adventure. The humour is on point – Skyler Peters (Jodie), in particular, embraces his Kids Say the Darndest Things vibe – and it’s easy to get swept into the children’s mischievous ways. Riddle of Fire is bound to fly under the radar, but it makes for a fun watch and harkens back to 80s films like The NeverEnding Story. It’s just a good time.
KATIE
I really enjoyed Riddle of Fire, a dreamy, modern fairytale story that feels like a hazy summer day with enough whimsy and charming performances from the young cast to make up for its overlong runtime. The nostalgia-driven aesthetic and naturalistic performances feel like authentic portrays of how children actually talk to each other, capturing the youthful innocence and uninhibited imagination of early childhood. Just watching the children interact is heartening, and it reminded me of the conscious amateurism of children in Wes Anderson’s films. Although it could benefit from some tighter editing, Riddle of Fire is an undeniably endearing film.
AMARÚ
One thing I can say about Riddle of Fire is that at least everyone is engaged. The four young leads (Phoebe Ferro, Charlie Stover, Lorelei Mote, and especially Skyler Peters) are a mischievous, yet charming ragtag gang that keeps you invested in the fairy tale. And that investment is truly needed to get past the random dialogue, amateur storytelling, and community theater acting. It’s tonally reminiscent of late 80s children’s adventure fantasies, made with the same whimsy, but nowhere near the professional production. There’s just enough of the former to get through it… if you have the patience for its low-budget quality.
PAIGE
In spite of its shortcomings, Riddle of Fire remains entertaining to watch, paying homage to throwback children’s adventure films while still creating a mood all its own. This movie does a great job of capturing the freedom and innocence of youth, not to mention the fact that director Weston Razooli shot this on 16mm, giving the movie a timeless feel and demonstrating his ambition and inventiveness alongside the likes of Wes Anderson. Granted, the pacing of this charming odyssey is a wee bit off, it’s still worth watching.
This film was reviewed by Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.