Here's the truth: this is one of those 90s kids' movies that exists in a weird limbo. The premise is solid—two girls, treasure hunt, friendship, girl power before we called it that. And if you're a millennial parent who watched this at a sleepover in 1996, you might have warm fuzzy feelings about it.
But let's be real: a 50% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 6.0 on IMDb means this was mediocre even when it came out. Thirty years later? It's painfully slow, the production values scream "mid-budget 90s," and kids today will be checking their phones within 20 minutes.
The WISE elements are decent enough—wholesome friendship, some adventure imagination, safe content—but the watchability factor is rough. Unless your kid is specifically into retro adventure movies or you're doing a 90s nostalgia night, there are better options. The Goonies has aged better. Even Holes (2003) feels more modern.
It's not bad, it's just... forgettable. Which might be worse.