Having been dubbed the “weirdest movie of 2009“, Ink was certainly on my radar, but for some reason it took me a year to finally see it. Through the experiences of self-obsessed businessman John (Christopher Soren Kelly) and his young daughter Emma (Quinn Hunchar), the age-old battle of a secret dream world is shown. Typical of so many fairy tales, there are “light” ones and “dark” ones- the former give good dreams and the latter give nightmares. A dark hopeful named Ink kidnaps Emma, hoping that offering her as a sacrifice will give him full-on dark powers, but a powerful light “storyteller” (Jessica Duffy) tracks them in an effort to save her. The battle for her soul and that of her father is then fought on two planes- the real world and the dream world.
Ok, so obviously I can’t give an actual well-written summary for this movie, mostly because it would take too long. Suffice to say it keeps in the tradition of fantasy films like MirrorMask, Night Watch, and even The Wizard of Oz. Its premise isn’t especially original, nor are its themes, but writer/director Jamin Winans infuses Ink with inventive visuals and a grounded emotional center, which- along with some fine performances- give the movie a memorable impact. This is one of the most emotionally affecting sci-fi/fantasy films I’ve seen in a while, and I really hadn’t expected that.
Ink really defies its low budget in most ways- it’s filled with complex imagery and costumes, well-choreographed fights, and a talented cast. At times it’s a bit corny, at others it is hindered by iffy special effects, and of course its themes are pretty familiar and predictable, but dang if I didn’t enjoy the shit out of this movie. It starts off a little slow and I was unsure how to get into it, but it picks up as more awesome characters are introduced and by the end I was wholly invested in everyone’s plight. There’s a range of incredible moments- from a phonograph domino effect to a What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?-esque ex-actress- held together by a compelling over-arching story.
It’s got a little kid who doesn’t annoy me. It’s got a lady who reminded me of Lizzy Caplan. It’s got fist fights and magic and wonderfully creepy villains and a heart-wrenching climax. Ink has a lot of things to like, displaying Winans’ obvious ingenuity and a story rich with drama, action, adventure, and imagination. And I got a little teary at the end, not going to lie.
4.5/5
Pair This Movie With: As I was watching it, several like films came to mind, but I think that the popular Russian movie Night Watch is the best pairing. It is probably my favorite fantasy/sci-fi thriller named after a Dutch painting.
Further Reading:
366 Weird Movies review
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