Bindi Irwin stars as Kirra, a young girl who lives in Australia with her widower father. When he's injured, she gets sent to spend the summer with her grandfather Gus (Beau Bridges) in South Africa, where he operates a run-down amusement park known as Pirate's Cove. When a stranded orca makes its way into the lagoon, Gus sees dollar signs and sets up a show, which begins attracting many paying customers. Kirra, who names the orca Willy, objects to the way Gus forces it to stay there, and pressures him into setting it free. Only when a ruthless competitor tries to buy Willy does Gus agree that it's time to orchestrate an escape.

You have to hand it to young Bindi Irwin. After her father, "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin, died unexpectedly, she vowed, even at her young age, to continue his work. Free Willy: Escape From Pirate's Cove has a message he would have been proud of. The movie reminds us that dolphins and whales are actually harmed by being held captive; they are not meant to be taken out of their natural habitat and forced to perform. Making them do so causes them to become irritable and even dangerous (as the recent Sea World tragedy made crystal clear).

The young Irwin shares her father's conservation message, and also his charisma. I don't know what kind of acting ability she has, if any, but she absolutely has enough natural charm to carry this movie. It is difficult to dislike her, because she projects such sincerity. You can feel that she signed up for the project because it was a good way to get her message to other children, and not because she's trying to be some pre-fabricated tween star. My guess is that kids, especially girls, will really identify with her. She's a great role model.

I couldn't help thinking while I watched Free Willy that Jeff Bridges just won an Oscar, while his brother is making the third sequel to a 17 year-old film. But you know what? Beau Bridges seems like he wants to be here too. He embraces the role of the eccentric grandpa, and also pulls off a nice emotional scene toward the end in which Gus acknowledges some of his shortcomings. He and Irwin seem to be having fun together.

Most of the whale footage appears to have been done via CGI and animatronics, which is appropriate considering what the story is trying to say. I don't think Willy is as much of a force in this movie as he was in the original; Kirra doesn't grow as attached to him as the boy in the first one did to his Willy. Still, the whale scenes are effective to watch.

Parents will see every single plot point coming long before it actually arrives; it's all standard stuff. Having said that, Free Willy: Escape From Pirate's Cove is kind of disarming. It breaks no new ground, yet has enough going for it that kids will get hooked. I found it to be predictable, but also kind of sweet. If you're looking for a nice kids' movie that has at least half a brain in its head, this is one DVD you should consider.

( 1/2 out of four)

DVD Features:

Free Willy: Escape From Pirate's Cove is available on DVD in your choice of widescreen or fullscreen formats. You can also get a Combo Pack, which contains the Blu-Ray, the DVD, and a digital copy all in the same package. The film is available for download as well.

The bonus materials kick off with "On the Set of Free Willy: Greetings From South Africa," which looks at the production of the movie, including location shooting. Bindi Irwin talks about how Beau Bridges mentored her in acting.

"Meet My Wild Co-Stars" is a feature dedicated to the various animals used in the film, which include penguins, a giraffe, and a kangaroo. The tone of this segment is similar to that of Bindi's TV show, with her cavorting with the different creatures.

The two Deleted Scenes are largely inconsequential. In the first, Kirra makes breakfast for Gus. The second is a slightly longer take of a scene used in the film; the difference is that this version has Kirra interacting with Willy a bit more. There is a short Blooper Reel of Irwin cracking up as she performs this last bit.

Finally, there is "Bindi's First Movie Diary," a montage of behind-the-scenes footage narrated by the star, who talks about her excitement over being part of a motion picture.

Free Willy: Escape From Pirate's Cove is rated PG for mild thematic elements. The running time is 1 hour and 40 minutes.