I hate to continue being negative, but the quality of video on this Blu-ray release is far below par. All of the fade-outs look like they were made in the 1980s, with the wavy mirage image, instead of with the realistic CG that we now use. Additionally, the colors are subdued, and all of the special effects look amateurish. Frankly, it looks as though this is a DVD from the early '00s, not a Blu-ray disc from 2009. Throughout the movie, I felt as though my HD-TV and my PS3 were put to waste.
While my TV went to waste, my 5.1 surround sound system totally rocked it out. Inkheart is given to us Dolby Digital 5.1, and I was surprised with the quality, considering the rest of the movie. I was able to hear everything, from the engine backfiring, to the dialog, to The Shadow's subtle noises. Heck, I was even able to hear the page rustling as Mo read the book, which is pretty cool considering what the movie is about. Inkheart's sound is the only redeeming feature of the movie, but it is a single gem in a giant pile of dirt.
Just as Inkheart was lacking in plot, this disc is lacking in extras. Just four features are included in the release, and three are quite boring. There is "A Story from the Cast and Crew," a section called "Imagination to the Page: How Writers Write," and the normal deleted scenes. The only interesting section is where "Eliza Reads to Us." There is great potential here, but it is lost when you realize that Bennett is not that compelling when she reads. Just like the movie, the extras fail miserably.
Overall, Inkheart is a waste of shelf space, and a waste of the time it took to watch and review. While the book is really well written and quite enjoyable, none of those qualities translate to the movie. Children might enjoy the story, and I advise that you make the babysitter watch it with them, and not submit yourself to such torture.
Movie: No plot, forgettable actors, and nothing to write home about. 
Blu-ray Quality: Looks like a DVD from the late '90s.
Sound Quality: The sound blew me away. 
Extras: There was only one interesting extra, but it was badly handled. 
Overall: A waste of time and shelf space.
Article comments