Inkheart

Story

Mortimer ‘Mo’ Flochart (Brendan Fraser) is a ‘silver tongue’, someone who can bring a story to life simply by reading the words. He is unaware of his gift until the night his wife disappears. She is sucked into the pages of Inkheart at the same time as numerous villains are sucked out. Mo will spend the next decade travelling the globe, searching for a copy of this very rare book in the hope of reading his wife out again. At the same time, he tries to keep one step ahead of the fictional characters who are hunting for him and his daughter Meggie (Eliza Hope Bennett).

At long last, in a small village in the Alps, Mo discovers an old bookshop. In the dusty back rooms on a long forgotten shelf, he finds what he has been searching for. At that very moment Dustfinger (Paul Bettany), who had been read out of the story when Mo’s wife disappeared, finds Mo. When Mo refuses to help him by reading him back into the pages of the book, Dustfinger enlists the help of Capricorn (Andy Serkis), an evil, callous man who thinks little of life and will do anything to get what he wants. Together these fictional forces track Meggie and Mo to the home of Meggie’s great aunt Elinor (Helen Mirren), who lives on a private estate in Italy.

The family is ambushed and taken hostage in a secluded castle fortress high in the mountains, where Capricorn has his army of hardened criminals. They are imprisoned there until Dustfinger realises that Capricorn will not help him. He also realises that Resa (Sienna Guillory), the beautiful, mute kitchen maid, is in fact Mo’s wife.

Dustfinger helps Mo and his family escape but leaves Resa behind as his personal insurance. He does not tell Mo about her existence until after they have escaped and found another copy of the book. Mo immediately heads back to the mountain fortress in a bid to rescue Resa. His plan goes awry when Capricorn kidnaps Meggie.

Ultimately, it is up to Meggie to save them all from certain death and to send the storybook characters back to where they belong.

Themes

The supernatural; separation from a parent

Violence

There is some violence in this movie. For example:

Mo pushes Dustfinger into a wall to escape from him.
One of the henchmen puts a knife to Mo’s throat. He also slices him three times across the arm.
The henchmen knock Mo unconscious while Meggie watches. They then kidnap the family at gunpoint.
Capricorn forces Mo to read by threatening Meggie.
The boy who falls out of the story of ‘The Arabian Nights’ is told that he will be fed to a crocodile. This doesn’t happen.
The movie contains frequent fighting, especially when Capricorn’s men are involved. Handguns, rifles, machine guns, spears, knives and swords are all used to threaten, wound, harm or kill at various points throughout the movie.
Dustfinger’s ferret grabs a thug’s lucky charm. The thug enters the crypt where Dustfinger is being held prisoner to get the charm back. Dustfinger curses him, and Meggie uses a human bone to whack the thug over the head.
Meggie is forced to read a passage from Inkheart that will transfer a smoky monster with fiery eyes and mouth into the world, unleashing untold pain and terror. The swirling monster then comes towards the cage in which Resa is locked, looking as though he is ready to devour her.
Dustfinger and another man knock out two of Capricorn’s thugs. They then grab containers of petrol, douse the castle’s walls and furnishings, and set the place alight.
Mo and Capricorn fight with lots of punching and throwing. Elinor rides into the scene on a white unicorn, having set all of the hostages free. The unusual band of centaurs and flying monkeys help attack Capricorn’s men.
Meggie reads the destruction of Capricorn and watches as her words are fulfilled. He turns to ash, his dust blowing away with the wind.

Sexual references

None of concern

Alcohol, drugs and other substances

None of concern

Nudity and sexual activity

This movie contains some nudity and sexual activity. For example:

An old, witch-like hag is asleep, wearing an 18th-century-style dress. A ferret must collect a key that she has tucked into her bosom. There is a close-up of her cleavage.
While Mo reads ‘The Arabian Nights’, some transparently clad belly-dancers with exposed midriffs dance in the background.
There are water nymphs in one story, and we briefly see three women in wet, clingy clothing.

Product placement

None of concern

Coarse language

This movie contains some mild coarse language.

Ideas to discuss with your children

Inkheart is a fantasy adventure containing frequent action and some beautiful scenery. Although this is not a film for younger children, many children will probably want to see it.

The main messages from this movie are that nothing is impossible and that everyone writes their own destiny. Values in this movie that you might wish to reinforce with your children include honour, truthfulness and self-belief.

This movie could also give you the opportunity to discuss with your children certain issues and their real-life consequences. For example, you might like to discuss:

the disappearance of a parent
using violence to get what you want
the power of the written word
deceitfulness and dishonesty.