Fantasy becomes reality in novel adventure "Inkheart"

Everyone knows the scariest things in "The Wizard of Oz" are those flying monkeys. But, gee, it's great to see them again in a brand-new movie.

No, not in a new version of "Oz," but in "Inkheart," a brisk and engaging adventure for kids who love books as well as for those who don't.

Based on the first novel in a trilogy by Cornelia Funke (whose debut, "The Thief Lord," didn't fare as well in its own screen adaptation), "Inkheart" is a wish-fulfillment fantasy for anyone who ever wanted to live inside a favorite story. Or, alternatively, bring elements of that story into the real world.

As usual, one must be careful of what one wishes. Mo (Brendan Fraser) is a low-key repairman of old books and single father to Meggie (Eliza Hope Bennett), a young adolescent. What Meggie doesn't know is that her frequent visits with dad to booksellers are largely an excuse for Mo to seek a copy of an out-of-print novel called "Inkheart."

On one such trip, Mo and Meggie are confronted by Dustfinger (Paul Bettany, looking a little like the Joker he might have been had he played the villain — a role he was vying for — in "The Dark Knight"). The picaresque fellow and his Kipling-esque companion, a wily mongoose, clearly know Mo — whom Dustfinger refers to as "Silvertongue" — though Mo tries to deny it for Meggie's benefit.

It turns out Dustfinger is a character from "Inkheart," the elusive novel Mo seeks, accidentally brought into the world — along with a number of other figures from various books, including "Oz" — by Mo himself. The latter didn't realize he was cursed with such power while reading aloud to Meggie when she was very young.

Besides releasing some very nasty characters into reality, Mo's wife and Meggie's mother, Resa (Sienna Guillory), got stuck inside the story and can only be freed if Mo "reads" her out, i.e., aloud.

The film is best enjoyed not getting too hung up on those sometimes-confusing complications. Fraser, who does well in gimmick movies (the recent 3-D "Journey to the Center of the Earth," the half-animated "Looney Tunes: Back in Action"), proves a reliable hero against the crazy cruelty of Capricorn (Andy Serkis) and his bizarre henchmen.

Mo's also an excellent foil for the eccentricities of a wide-eyed author played by the estimable Jim Broadbent, and the nattering imperiousness of a flinty aunt (a comic turn by Helen Mirren). Both bring a "Harry Potter"-like, extra gloss to the proceedings.

Ringmaster for the film's escalating circus of action is director Iain Softley ("Backbeat"), who manages to keep the story's very complex climax under control and accessible. Who knows: Softley's version of "Inkheart" may very well inspire kids to read Funke's tome — a win-win for everyone.

Tom Keogh: tomwkeogh@yahoo.com