Inkheart Family Film Review

By Megan P.

Movie Mama Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Recommended For: Elementary school age and above

Starring: Helen Mirren, Brendan Fraser, Paul Bettany, Jim Broadbent, Andy Serkis
Directed By: Iain Softley
Running Time: 1 hr. 43 min.
MPAA Rating: PG for fantasy adventure action, some scary moments and brief language.
Genre: Adventure/Family/Fantasy

Mo Folchart (Brendan Fraser) was born with a special power: anything he reads aloud comes to life. He did not know of his gift until he read the book Inkheart to his young daughter, Meggie (Eliza Hope Bennett). Several characters from the book appeared before him: the evil villain Capricorn (Andy Serkis), a few of his thugs, and a fire-juggler named Dustfinger (Paul Bettany). And as if the characters leaping off the page and threatening Mo with his life weren't bad enough, his wife Resa (Sienna Guillory) was tragically transported into the book. When the book is destroyed, Mo spends his entire life traveling with Meggie all over the world in search for another copy of Inkheart so he may bring his wife back to the real world.

Inkheart, in essence, is a fantasy tale about a fantasy tale. The idea of reading stories to life is an intriguing one. With all the wonderful books and characters in literary history, Inkheart had the potential to be an intimidatingly great, masterfully woven film. But the author and director took the easy route, handing the audience a mediocre story with an messy ending of underutilized characters.

While Inkheart is an acceptable family flick, true movie lovers are going to feel cheated and confused. For example, Meggie has an English accent, even though we're led to believe that she has never settled down anywhere, and her father has an American accent. Maybe I'm a bit too picky about accents, but when a director has the ability to create a world for us to step into, the most simple elements should click. Eliza Hope Bennett is a terrific Meggie, and her accent is lovely, but it was distractingly out of place.

Helen Mirren plays Meggie's rude Aunt Elinor who lives a life of solitude, escaping into novels instead of setting foot in the real world. Her character is an interesting one, especially when she gives up her solitude to help Mo and Meggie, but Helen Mirren's performance is nothing above community stage acting. I was thoroughly irritated with her by the end. As for Brendan Fraser, he brings nothing new to the movie screen since his most recent film, Journey to the Center of the Earth.

PROS
Even though Inkheart's author creates Dustfinger as a cowardly and selfish character, he learns that he can choose to be different, that our actions and choices change who we are, and that we are not preconceived notions of ourselves.

Dustfinger redeems himself in the end, becoming a selfless person. However, this is only depicted by him committing one solitary selfless act. In my opinion, this isn't enough to convince me that he has changed, but one selfless act is better than none.

Mo is consistently protecting Meggie, much to her chagrin. But he's a wonderful father figure, risking his life for hers several times. He is also committed to restoring his family, searching for years to find his lost wife and reunite with her.

CONS
Dustfinger's pet ferret fetches keys from an old hag's wrinkly cleavage. I thought this was distasteful and uncalled for. The villains are comical and not truly scary, however they do wield knives and one of them cuts Mo's arm in a flashback. The shadow creature at the end may be too much for little ones. There is a violent tornado scene where men are swept up into the cyclone, as well as very mild language.

OVERALL
Inkheart is a mildly entertaining family flick, but nothing more.

=================================================================
Megan is the staff family movie reviewer for http://www.pluggedinparents.com . For more parenting articles on health and safety, nutrition, baby, money and tech, family life, pets, and movie reviews, visit pluggedinparents.com today!
==================================================================