STOLEN KINGDOM played at the 31st Slamdance Film Festival, and I had the opportunity to see an early look – here’s my Spoiler Free take:
STOLEN KINGDOM is an anti-“Pixie Duster” documentary best described as EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP’s law-breaking energy mixed with THE KING OF KONG’s clear hero and villain story. That hybrid from first-time writer/director Joshua Bailey makes for a “magical” e-ticket ride that audiences should get a “fast pass” to see.
If you’re a kid of the 80s or a Disney fanatic, you will love STOLEN KINGDOM. The basic premise is it follows several Disney Urban Explorers (people who break into Disney World and post videos) and their various adventures.
Hoot Gibson is the clear hero of this story because he breaks into the park to shoot videos and not steal anything. Meanwhile, Patrick Spikes is the villain who sells things on the Disney black market. The opposite personas make for a compelling ride as we watch and find out what happened inside Cranium Command all those years ago.
STOLEN KINGDOM dives into the three types of Disney people:
- People who purely love the attractions and rides
- Fans who are into the history of Disney and collecting memorabilia to sell
- Disney Urban Explorers – those that capture videos of Disney and post their content to make $.
And those three types of Disney fans all come crashing into one another in a “Buzzy” film that explores what happens when the YouTube generation, fandom, and illegal activities combine. So, take a trip to “Discovery Island” and learn why bad things happen on “the happiest place on Earth.”
