"Inkheart"

Brendan Fraser, Sienna Guillory, Eliza Bennett, Paul Bettany, Helen Mirren, Steve Spiers, Matt Kin

"Inkheart" is another of those movies based on a children's novel. Caught between the world in real time and the ability to have characters move interchangeably in and out of books is the hook that grabs us. So believable is this possibility that it allows the audience to suspend reality for a few hours and enjoy the fantasy of "Inkheart."

Going into this screening I was indifferent. How many secret wizards, evil doers, special effects and flying animals can people tolerate before they get bored by the concept? Well, after seeing "Inkheart," the answer is one more!

Brendan Fraser is a personal favorite. In this story he plays Mo Folchart, a parent who reads stories to his daughter before bedtime. When reading aloud one night, Folchart (dubbed "Silvertongue") discovers he has the power for characters to leave their position in a book and join the real world in the twenty-first century.

The only hitch is for every character who joins the real world someone from this reality must replace the character that comes to life. When Silvertongue was reading a book named Inkheart to his wife and young child, his wife, Resa, was traded for a book character and lost to both father and daughter.

It is now 10 years later. Silvertoungue's daughter has a vague recollection of her mother and is unclear about her disappearance. In wanting to protect his daughter and keep her from her mother's fate, Silvertongue refuses to read out loud. Secretly, he continues to search the world over for a copy of Inkheart in hopes of reading it aloud one last time to avenge the culprits who abducted his wife in exchange for their freedom.

As in many of Brendon Fraser's films, there seems to be elements of playfulness combined with swashbuckling catastrophes that makes the audience feel as if they are on the adventure too. Add the surreal special effects from a fantastic netherworld of an author's imagination and this adventure will find you enthralled from start to finish.

Credit must be given to the supporting cast who richly plays their parts with gusto. Helen Mirren as Mo's eccentric aunt and Paul Betthany as a misplaced fire juggler yearning to return to his life in the pages of literature contribute to this tale of wonder and delight.

Chic Stars: Three Chic Stars

Jan's Movie Rating System:
5 - Top-notch entertainment
4 - Compelling, Heartwarming, Thrilling, Comical
3 - The a) story b) actors c) special effects saved/made this movie.
2 - If you are bored, watch it, or wait for DVD
1 - Don't bother. Too morose, too violent, too blasè, an enigma.

PHOTO CREDITS
Shotgun Wild at Heart

Jan James Stetter
		About the author:
		Jan James Stetter is the "Media Maven" for Cincy Chic. A Cincinnati native, Jan resides in the side of town that bore LaRosa’s pizzas and Skyline chili. Stetter is a discerning film critic letting readers know what is hot and what is not at the box office. She welcomes input and feedback from her audience, so e-mail her at jstetter@cincychic.com.
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Last update: 23-02-2009 16:45

Published in : Magazine Items, Social