Word: softley
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Here's a simple rule for filmmakers: If an actress of Helen Mirren's caliber is willing to mount a white unicorn for you, don't squander the image. That's what director Iain Softley does in Inkheart, his sloppy, aggravatingly frenetic adaptation of Cornelia Funke's popular fantasy novel about fictional characters who spring to life when the right person reads them aloud...
...unfortunate timing for Softley's adaptation to arrive in theaters right after Bedtime Stories. It's not that Inkheart suffers in direct comparison - Bedtime was soundly spanked by critics - but the similarities do deflate the appeal of the premise. To overcome that, the film has to offer something special, going beyond the easy score of referencing classic works of children's literature. Certainly it's a treat to see a Silvertongue bring The Wizard of Oz's Toto to life, or enjoy the visual gag of seeing Capricorn's henchman land in the middle of Kansas, post-tornado...
...Most disappointed audiences don’t get to see a sample of “what might have been.” We, however, are treated to a demonstration of the dream deferred when director Iain Softley throws us a bone in the final chapter of the film and brings us to the edge of our seats. He’s no Hitchcock, but this last third or so leaves us with a fast pulse and an uneasy mind to take home—which is all we can really ask of the horror genre...
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly how Softley turns around the terror clichés of creaking chairs and creepy old people into something that is actually shriek-worthy. Much of it may come from falling victim to the movie’s own theories. In regard to the hoodoo, we are warned that it “can’t hurt you if you don’t believe.” Eventually, writer Ehren Kruger (“The Ring”) builds up enough back story—combined with some freaky black...
...Iain Softley...