Inkheart Review

The power of the written word is that we can individually interpret and imagine what these words mean. With a story, especially, this holds true. I guess one’s enjoyment of a book could be based on how imaginative they are. Books are magical for that reason. I also believe that is why a lot of movies based on books fail, is that it wasn’t what we were expecting. How can a screenwriter or a director adapt a book and make it just as magical as it was in your head? It’s not like all adaptations fail, if we’re lucky, someone can translate the magic for all to enjoy.I can’t say that about Inkheart.

The fact that the fantasy film genre has been played out doesn’t help either, but that’s not Inkheart’s fault or problem. Based on a series of novels from Cornelia Funke, a German fantasy writer, the film shouldn’t have been as plain as it is. The film has a solid cast; Brendan Fraser, Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent, Andy Serkis, and Paul Bettany. The film has a neat idea of when a select few read out loud the words from the page, things happen to make situations or characters come out of the book. All of these elements, should’ve added up to a decent time, and while the film isn’t atrocious, it’s so lukewarm and barely alive, that it kills its own potential.

I guess you could blame the director, but it might just be the script. For fantasy films, the beginning is important because it’ll establish the rules and the characters. Inkheart glosses over this and we never really care about the stakes involved and the rushed introductions to the characters make them paper thin. You actually don’t know why Mo (Fraser) is looking for this book and why this scar-faced, fire breathing character is after him. We don’t find out until early second act, which kind of wastes that early part.

It had potential. After failed attempts at reading out riches, Andy Serkis’ character has a stable of characters from various books like the crocodile from “Peter Pan”, flying monkeys from “Wizard of Oz”, a Minotaur, which runs with the film’s concept. It’s pretty cool and the FX are decent, especially the end battle. I haven’t read the books, but I bet their more alive and entertaining than the film. Granted it tries, but it’s lifeless, a fantasy film that doesn’t work or bucks the trend of these films failing at the box office.

Hopefully, the film doesn’t do a disservice to young kids who don’t read or should read more. While it’s easy to see images flash across our eyes, hopefully, they’ll want to read instead after seeing Inkheart. Most likely their imaginations will be more alive and entertained than they would be after watching this film.

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