Well done

Rating: 9/10 (25 March 2008)

I'm hard to impress, but this one is worth full marks. Obviously, its a fairy story set in modern times, so a lot of things in it are coincidental, illogical, and even magical. Actually, this adds to the charm of the story. It isn't meant to be analysed critically. It's meant to be enjoyed, and in this it succeeds. I was impressed by the way the ambient sounds were incorporated into the music. The actors were first class, and I even liked Robin Williams playing the Fagin part. Freddie Highmore is highly polished as August. The orphanage looked a bit Dickensian, and not like a modern children's home. (Wouldn't be permitted to operate here.) The kid buskers in Wizard's theatre looked like a pinch from "The Thief Lord". It was heavily dependent on "Oliver Twist". But we must remember there are only seven stories, and this one removed itself from the originals. So I didn't give it a ten, but a nine is very good. As far as ratings are concerned, the film is quite suitable for kids. It has no real violence or profanity. I wouldn't mind letting anyone over 9 watch it. The social issues are worth discussing, and the music is a pleasant blend of new and old, put together in a way that doesn't jar the senses. Well done, everyone involved.