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Somehow “Inkheart” ended up leaking like a cheap, bad
pen. Based on popular children’s fantasy by Cornelia Funke,
“Inkheart” suggests that some people with a special gift
can bring characters in books to life in our world. Mo Folchart
(Brendan Fraser) a man who restores books for a living has
such a gift. Unfortunately he discovers his gift when he
accidently releases Capricorn (Andy Serkis) a evil character
from a book that shares the title of the film. Dustfinger
(Paul Bettany) a man who can generate fire with his hands
is also pulled from the pages of the book saving both Mo
and his young daughter. There is a cost for releasing someone
from the book; someone in our world gets pulled into the
book and, in this case, it’s Mo’s wife. Mo spends his time
looking for copies of the rare book in hope of finding a
way to release his wife. Mo, his daughter Meggie (Eliza
Hope Bennett) and his wife’s aunt (Helen Mirren) find themselves
battling Capricorn who wants Mo to release further characters
from Inkheart so he can rule the world. Dustfinger ends
up cooperating with Capricorn with a guarantee that he’ll
make Mo put him back in book. ***
Filled with memorable characters, terrific character
actors in supporting roles “Inkheart” is like a book with
a split binding; it’s like pages are missing from the book.
“Inkheart” still has a number of imaginative choices and
some nice set pieces but its missing the core of any good
story—we don’t know enough to really CARE about Mo and his
desperate attempt to bring his wife back. Watching the movie
one thought immediately sprung to mind; he’s been collecting
all these books realizing that his wife disappeared into
them, knowing that he has released these characters but
he’s a coward. He’s afraid to find out if he can bring her
out and send them back. That fear may make him more human
but it also makes him less heroic. In fact, Dustfinger is
about as close to a hero as we get and he doesn’t get enough
screen time to develop as a character and beyond seeing
brief images of his wife (played by Bettany’s real wife
Jennifer Connelly) and the life he left behind but not enough
to understand WHY he wants to go back especially once he
discovers the “ending” of the book from the book’s author
(Jim Broadbent). ***
“Inkheart” has all the signs of massive studio meddling;
plot holes big enough to drive a truck through, re-cutting
the film to refocus on our less interesting main character
of Mo, very little in the way of back story for these characters.
The pacing is clunky without and feels like it was re-edited
by a Sunday morning quarterback who has no clue as to what
the original story is about nor what this one should be
about. It’s an enjoyable flick even if it isn’t a great
movie or even a good one. Director Ian Softley has done
some terrific work (“The Wings of the Dove”, “Backbeat”)but
it’s very clear that he was second guessed every step of
the way in this production. I wouldn’t be surprised if screenwriter
David Lindsay-Abaire (“Robots”, the forthcoming “Spiderman
4” and a lyricist who wrote the songs for “Shrek the Third”)
although credited as the only writer was one of many writers
who went un-credited during production and post-production
tampering. ---
Image & Sound:
“Inkheart” looks quite nice with a sharp transfer. Colors
don’t exactly pop but this isn’t a candy-coated fantasy
it’s a darker fantasy film. ***
Dialogue comes across clearly and action sequences
positively explode with activity for the 5.1 Surround mix.
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