Kevin Sorbo is mostly well-known for his roles in Hercules and Andromeda, but takes on a different kind of role in Storm Rider, a heart-warming family film. It will immediately draw comparisons to other films that deal with horses, but this is not a competition film and the fact that it's not is rather refreshing.
Dani Fielding (Danielle Chuchran) is a privileged teenager. She races her horse in competitions and refuses to sell him to her rival no matter what the cost. Her life changes drastically when her dad (C. Thomas Howell) is arrested for financial fraud and she's forced to go live with her gruff and loner uncle Sam (Kevin Sorbo). In the space of a short period of time, Dani loses everything she's ever known: her house, her horse, her younger brother all because of her dad and her self-absorbed stepmother (Sam Sorbo). When Dani moves in with her uncle, they both have some adjusting to do. Dani's not used to the life her uncle lives, and Sam isn't used to being around anyone for a long period of time. He's isolated. And while he provides veterinary care for the town's animals, Jody (Kristy Swanson) is his only real friend, and she tries to help bridge the gap between Dani and Sam.
Dani begins training a mule, whom she calls Stormy, that no one wants and learns through him about family and adjusting to life.
Writer and director Craig Clyde gives us a film that's generally solid and much more fluid than a lot of other direct-to-DVD films. For one, the film isn't focused on a horse competition, which is refreshing and doesn't follow the stereotype just because it involves horses. Instead, it's very focused on character interactions and development rather than on the animals in the film.
Danielle Chuchran, probably most well-known for her role in The Cat in the Hat, does a good job in portraying a girl who's just had her life turned upside down. Her performance isn't over dramatized with stereotypical teen attitude and angst, but rather someone slowly and forcibly trying to adjust to her current situation. Kristy Swanson adds sassy joy to the film. She's the ultimate peacekeeper in a world where people's lives have changed, but her feelings for Dani's uncle haven't. Her character is spirited and balances out the energies of the uncle and niece dynamic.
Kevin Sorbo is the gruff loner and sometimes socially awkward uncle. Sorbo's character is also trying to adjust to the new situation and varies his performance with different eyebrow raises that mean different things: amusement, underlying anger, and protectiveness. He has great chemistry with both Chuchran and Swanson and his presence is always apparent, but subtle.
Storm Rider is a heart-warming family film that relies on its characters rather than on other theatrics to bring the story to life. The cast play their parts well. The film is a feel-good and sweet form of family entertainment. The cast seems like they had a great time making the film and it shows. A good way to spend an hour and a half if you're at home with the family.
