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Richard von Busack of Mr. Movietimes and Metroactive.com writes:
Even Brendan Fraser’s good humor seems to be wearing out. Fraser is a seriously gifted physical comedian. The success of three popular but terrible "Mummy" movies is partially due to Fraser being the only living thing in a CGI landscape. In his new film, Fraser does his thing, looking alert, hitting his marks and climbing a tile rooftop. But "Inkheart" has little heart; it squanders Fraser and a fine group of character actors in a very promising fantasy plot.
Fraser plays Mo, an expatriate bookbinder living in Italy. He is a “silvertongue,†with the ability to call fictional characters out of a book by reading aloud. Unfortunately, this gift is a curse: some human in our world must take the place of the materialized fictional character. When Mo once read a children’s book called Inkheart to his child, his wife (Sienna Guillory) vanished into the book, and he and his daughter were left behind. Unfortunately, the book’s villain, Capricorn (Andy Sirkis, a.k.a. Gollum), has escaped and is setting up a cryptofascist assault on our world. Mo’s most reliable help is the rogue character from the book "Inkheart," Ashfinger (Paul Bettany).
The locations in the Italian alps are a plus, and Jennifer Connelly appears in a couple of highly decorative scenes, made up as a Renaissance princess. In a milieu that could have used some poetry, director Iain Softley tenderizes the material with bumbling silly henchmen and a crazy aunty character (Helen Mirren). The scenes bustle like a Christmas pantomime, with lots of wasted motion.
The most depressing thing about the film is watching the look on Fraser’s face when you’re supposed to be watching the unicorn. The strain of these technical movies is beginning to show on him. I’m hoping he can get out of this green-screen routine: I think there’s an Errol Flynn or a Burt Lancaster in him. I think he could be a bastard and make the audience like it.
wast of time and money. wast wast wast wast not worth it at all.i think it was stupid.the prview will fool you.the worst the worst got to put 45 words on this.its really not worth my time.but it might save someone some money to watch another movie.
Very nice movie. Its really a 3 1/2 star but because it can be viewed by anyone of any age I gave it the bennefit of the extra 1/2 star. The locations are OUTSTANDING. They almost distract you from the plot for a while. I would probably see it again with my daughter.
If you like fantasy movies with lots of special effects, you will likely enjoy this movie. I found it entertaining, but left the theater feeling it did not quite live up to its full potential, even with the talents of Brendan Fraser and Helen Mirren, both fine performers. Still, it had many enjoyable moments, some beautiful scenery, and of course, those great special effects. A good one to share with the kids.
Richard von Busack of Mr. Movietimes and Metroactive.com writes: