Anna Sewell's name is plastered on the screen in big letters during the opening credits, but this movie has nothing to do with her book, Black Beauty. Instead of adapting the novel, the makers of this low-budget family film have replaced the story with a cut-out "boy and animal" plot. A boy and a horse become fast friends, and then the old "dual medical emergency" plot twist occurs. First the boy gets hurt, and then the horse gets hurt. Throughout it all, there is the requisite tension between the boy and his father. Horse lovers may enjoy picking out the inaccuracies with regard to handling horses.

This movie is so unoriginal and poorly made (how the donkey game scene made the final cut I'll never know) that I would have rated it lower had I not, by some weird miracle, found myself actually caring about the characters. I can't figure out how it accomplished that. Maybe I was just in a funny mood, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and not thoroughly trash it. Kids who like horses might enjoy this movie. Others should probably avoid it.