Captain Jack review

Why you can trust 12DOVE Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

Since the demise of the Children's Film Foundation there's been a lack of kid-friendly British movies. This undemanding but fun flick fills that gap, based as it is on the true tale of Captain Jack Lammiman who set sail to the Arctic with a raggle-taggle crew.

The crew in Jack Rosenthal's version includes Anna Massey and Gemma Jones as two warring sisters; Sadie Frost as a sex-mad ex-chip shop employee; and David Troughton as a brow-beaten husband longing for escape. The silent Troughton and the crass captain (Bob Hoskins) then vie for the children's attention: Troughton wins the sympathy vote and most of the laughs while Hoskins' use of the word "bloody" guarantees sniggers every time. Only McDonald flounders: if you saw him in the excellent I Went Down, you'll cringe at his Aussie accent and supposedly worldly-wise character in this.

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine.