Review of The Thief Lord (2006) by Katie . — 16 Sep 2006

[font=Times New Roman][size=4]This film adaptation of the Cornelia Funke novel did a very good job in translating this story from page to movie. It is a great story of brotherly love, adolescent frustration, and the desperation that some have to regain their lost youth. The fantasy element is an old merry-go-round that can make people younger or older depending on which direction you ride it. That element of the film, however, takes a backseat until pretty close to the end of the film. That?s not a bad thing though as the front and center part of the story is the relationship between the brothers, Prospo and Bo, and the relationships they develop with the Thief Lord and his group. That makes a good story.[/size][/font].

[font='Times New Roman'][size=4] The young actors, who bring these characters to life so very well, do great in portraying those relationships and how they develop. The adult characters aren?t to shabbily portrayed either. The music score adds to the excitement of some scenes, but is otherwise not too memorable. The effects, except for the few merry-go-round scenes, are mostly present in the setting which is Venice. They are nicely done. This film never saw wide release in the United States which is a shame since it is one of the better fantasy genre releases of 2006.[/size][/font].