The Lost Treasure of the Knights Templar III: The Mystery of the Serpent Crown – Templar Knights skat III: Mystery of the Serpent Crowns (2008)

Directed by: Giacomo Campeotto | 85 minutes | adventure, family | Actors: Nicklas Svale Andersen, Monica Attard, Silvio Catania, Manuel Cauchi, Peter Gilsfort, Emma Leth, Mick Øgendahl, Frederikke Thomassen, Julie Grundtvig Wester, Christian Heldbo Wienberg, Cecilia Zwick-Nash

In Scandinavia they know how to make a youth film. Interesting, fresh and adventurous TV series and feature films with their heart in the right place are regularly released from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. The most recent success series from Denmark is called ‘The Lost Treasure of the Knights Templar’, about four young detectives who unravel ancient mysteries. In the first part from 2006, as the title suggests, they go in search of the lost treasure of the medieval knighthood that also played a prominent role in Dan Brown’s bestseller ‘The Da Vinci Code’. In the second part, which came out in 2007, the action moved from Denmark to Sweden, the action moved from Denmark to Sweden, in which the children were confronted with a new medieval mystery. Both films were a huge success. Also in the Netherlands, where the first part won the Cinekid Audience Award in 2006. The third part, ‘The Mystery of the Serpent Crown’ has been eagerly awaited by many children.

In this third film we go a little further back in time. The story is introduced with the story of the apostle Paul, who was shipwrecked near Malta around AD 60. He stayed on the island in the Mediterranean Sea for three months and was probably the first to preach the gospel there. Paul was welcomed with open arms by the Maltesers, who lit a great fire for him. That evening the apostle was bitten by a snake. The people thought that Paul had something on his conscience and expected that he would drop dead any moment. But Paul was unharmed. The people therefore thought that he was a god and worshiped him. He would perform some miracles during his stay, including the healing of the father of stadtholder Publius. The serpent crown given to Paul is the subject of the mystery that now sixteen-year-old Katrine (Julie Grundtvig Wester) and her friends are going to delve into in this third film.

Katrine’s father Christian (Peter Gilsfort) has owned the crown for some time on behalf of the Order of the Knights Templar and wants to return it to its rightful owners, the Maltese Knights Order. Katrine prefers to go on holiday to Bornholm herself, but when she can take her friends Nis (Christian Heldbo Wienberg), Matthias (Nicklas Svale Andersen) and Fie (Frederikke Thomassen) to Malta, she knows that she will have great adventures again. Immediately upon arrival in Valletta, Matthias, now a real teenager, falls under the spell of the beautiful Elena (Emma Leth), a Maltese with family in Denmark. But in all his infatuation he reveals why they are in Malta. Does he know that Elena is descended from an ancient priesthood that worships the nature gods and thinks he is entitled to the serpent crown? Not much later, the crown is stolen and our four heroes have to look for it. Then, when Matthias is kidnapped to be a sacrifice for the priests, Katrine, Nis and Fie must hurry to get both the crown and their friend back in one piece!

The concept of ‘The Lost Treasure of the Knights Templar III’ – like part two directed by Giacomo Campeotto – is not particularly original. The film is, in fact, a convenient cross between the medieval mystique of ‘The Da Vinci Code’ and the adventure of the ‘Indiana Jones’ series. There are also similarities with Thea Beckman’s ‘Cruise in Jeans’ – filmed by Ben Sombogaart in 2006. But it works, judging by the success of the first two parts. Although the magic is a bit off now. Especially compared to the second part, little has changed. Even now, time has been set aside for the adolescent troubles of Katrin, Nis and Matthias (they are already sixteen, after all) and themes such as jealousy and infatuation have been carefully incorporated into the story. The main part, however, remains the exciting adventure, which unfortunately has some difficulty in unfolding. The characters are wonderfully stereotypical – we’ve got the hunk, the smartass, the wisecracking little sister and this time even a femme fatale! – but that’s okay in a youth film like this one.

What is going to be annoying is the unbelievability. The special discoveries come very easily out of the blue. Once is nice, twice is also to be overlooked. But every time the kids enter an ancient building—a church, a museum, or some medieval structure—secrets emerge and sinister figures appear on the scene. It’s a little too much of a good thing. However, that does not alter the fact that the younger generation, children of about eleven years old, will enjoy the adventures that the four Danish sleuths experience. ‘The Lost Treasure of the Knights Templar: The Mystery of the Serpent Crown’ is very nicely put together and offers enough tension in just an hour and a half. Part three is less convincing than its two predecessors, but that should certainly not spoil the fun!