Today’s quick review: The Pagemaster. Ten-year-old Richard Tyler (Macaulay Culkin) has to face his fears when a heavy storm forces him to take shelter in a local library, where he stumbles into a fantastical world of literary peril. To get to the exit, Richard will need the guidance of the Pagemaster (Christopher Lloyd) and the help of Adventure (Patrick Stewart), Fantasy (Whoopi Goldberg), and Horror (Frank Welker), a trio of talking books.
The Pagemaster is a family fantasy adventure that mixes live action with animation. The Pagemaster is a love letter to literary fiction in all its forms, putting a literal spin on the metaphor of getting lost in a book. With his new friends, Richard must brave a slew of literary characters and situations to escape back to the real world. However, in spite of the film’s pure intentions, its execution leaves something to be desired.
The Pagemaster fails to make the most of a creative premise. The plot is a linear trek through the genres of fiction and leans heavily on references to the classics. The fast pace of the story does more harm than good, whisking Richard and the others away from each new location as soon as they have arrived. What’s more, there’s no sense of purpose or cohesion to the world. It is simply a vehicle for the film to expound upon the virtues of books.
Other missteps include an underused vocal cast and a shockingly dark tone for a kids’ movie. Patrick Stewart, Whoopi Goldberg, and Frank Welker turn in colorful performances and get plenty of screen time, but they’re hurt by one-dimensional characters and overly kid-friendly writing. For their part, Christopher Lloyd and Leonard Nimoy are barely present at all. The animation style is more raggedy than wondrous, used to shock rather than delight.
The Pagemaster still has a few things to offer, including its inventive premise, earnest love of fiction, and cast of familiar voices. But it lacks the substance or charm to appeal to an adult audience, while its darker moments make it a dubious pick for kids. The Pagemaster could be magical for the right viewer, but most will find that it falls short of the mark. For live-action fantasy adventure in a similar vein, try Time Bandits.
6.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 to 6.5 for decent creativity and a talented cast, let down by a weak story and tonal issues.