Maika: The Girl from Another Galaxy * Adorable, Impeccably-Filmed Sci-Fi Adventure
After losing his mother to illness and his best friend to an unexpected move, a young boy discovers a crashed spaceship and makes a new friend with awesome powers (although she does need a little help with her earthly social skills). Together, they embark on a zany, fun-filled adventure while taking on the bad guys and helping Maika find her way home.
KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Eshaan M. comments, “Maika: The Girl from Another Galaxy is an adorable and impeccably-filmed story of friendship and exploration. It’s the perfect sci-fi adventure for the whole family this September.” See his full review below.
Maika: The Girl from Another Galaxy
By Eshaan M., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic, age 16
Maika: The Girl from Another Galaxy is an adorable and impeccably-filmed story of friendship and exploration. It’s the perfect sci-fi adventure for the whole family this September.
Maika: The Girl from Another Galaxy follows the story of Hung (Phu Truong Lai), a young boy in Vietnam. After Hung’s mother Hang (Elyse Dinh) passes away from lung disease, and he loses his best friend My to an unexpected move to Saigon, he discovers a crashed spaceship and makes a new friend, Maika (Chu Diep Anh), with powers. Together, they embark on fun-filled adventures while taking on various villains like the head of an aeronautical company before helping Maika find her way back to her home planet.
Ham Tran’s direction truly ties this film together; even though the film is based on a Czechoslovakian TV series that became a cultural sensation in Vietnam in the 1980s and ‘90s, it comes across as an original film. My favorite part of the film was the special effects, as I think it should be in a sci-fi film. When Maika does her “magic,” purple beams emanate from her fingers; it is beautiful! The performances by Chu Diep Anh as Maika and Hung by Phu Truong Lai steal the show; I was moved by Lai’s emotive performance in the initial scenes where his mother is hospitalized, and An’s chirpy, bubbly character stole my heart.
Maika: The Girl from Another Galaxy promotes finding your own adventures, fostering positive friendships, and overall being a good, virtuous person. There is one scene to watch out for where Maika, unaware of Earthly social norms about clothing, pounces on Hung naked; she is shown from the neck up, though.
I give Maika: The Girl from Another Galaxy 4 stars out of 5 and recommend it for ages 8 to 12. Maika: The Girl from Another Galaxy debuts on digital outlets on September 6, 2022.
