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Unimaginative plot drags down visually unique 'MirrorMask'
by Eleanor Ringel Gillespie

There are more masks in "MirrorMask" than there are for sale in the lobby of a theater hosting a tour of "The Phantom of the Opera." A creative team consisting of Dave McKean and Neil Gaiman (as in the "Sandman" graphic novels) and Jim Henson Productions have concocted a unique-looking fantasy film that heavily favors style over substance. (Think "The Cell," with animation instead of J. Lo.) True, it's quite a style, with influences ranging from Jan Svankmajer and Terry Gilliam to Hieronymus Bosch and Picasso. But, ultimately, it isn't enough. Read the full review

TO SUM UP
A 15-year-old girl working for her family circus wishes she could run away from the circus and join real life. Instead, Helena finds herself on a strange journey through a fantastic landscape filled with giants, monkeybirds and dangerous sphinxes. Here she must search for the MirrorMask, a powerful object that is her only hope of returning home.

FILM FACTS ...

Samuel Goldwyn Films

'MirrorMask'

Director: Dave McKean
Starring: Stephanie Leonidas, Gina McKee, Rob Brydon, Jason Barry, Stephen Fry
Run time: 101 minutes
Release date: Sept. 30, 2005
Rating: PG for some mild thematic elements and scary images.

On the web
Official movie site
View the trailer
Trailers require Quicktime

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READ THE REVIEW

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: D+
"Lewis Carroll and L. Frank Baum have nothing to worry about."