In real life every so often sightings of a large cat create a furore of interest. There is even a hotel named after the elusive feline.
In the movie directed by Ant Timpson, 11-year-old Mildred (Nell Fisher) is on a quest to video the panther as there is a $50,000 reward for proved sightings of the beast.
Mildred is not your average 11-year-old, possibly due to the fact she is an only child but also she reads a lot and is very knowledgeable.
Her mother, Zo, is in financial difficulty and Mildred figures the money would be useful.
The pair are due to go on a camping trip to hunt down the cat but Zo has an untimely accident which prevents her going.
However, not all is lost as Mildred’s estranged father Strawn Wise (Elijah Wood) arrives from America to take care of her.
Strawn agrees to go on the trip with her.
The two are almost opposites in character which makes for some funny interactions.
I really liked the movie. It is a naive kind of tale but then believing there is a panther roaming about the foothills does require a degree of naivety and imagination.
It also has many of the elements I enjoy in a movie including unpredictability, drama, a villain or two, conflict and redemption.
The scenery is stunning too and being familiar with the countryside where the movie was shot I found it entertaining to figure out where each scene was.
The only thing that spoils this movie ever so slightly for me is the use of expletives.
