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Rating:  - A wonderful story
I have always been a big fan of Jim Hensons works and those that have followed since his passing. When I first heard about this movie I was very intrigued and couldn't wait. When the movie finally came out I went to see it right away and though it wasn't what I was expecting I was still overly happy with the movie in all.
Many complain about the movie stating that it's simply visual and the story is basic, and even a few others complain that it was too confusing and to these people I say Nay!
Yes the movie is very visual but it takes place in a world created by a young artist both through her artwork and dreams so of coarse the visuals are going to be over the top, I for one hate it when my imagination is over the top (sarcasm).
As for the story I don't quite see how it can be confusing or too basic, the only thing I can think of is that it may be a little to much to form with fairy tales. It isn't exactly a complex story but the story that is laid out before us is one that can be related to. Somone who doesn't like their life as it is now and dreams of something bigger, but then her eye's are opened and she realizes her life is perfect even though it isn't.
Rating:  - Lost, confusing piece of film
I purchased this based on the amazing reviews...I should have asked around a bit more. I think this suffers from that 'art house' group who think that anything that is 'out there' or simply different means it is better.
My family (wife, 12 and 7 year olds) absolutely hated me for making them suffer through this, and in fact it has become a running joke whenever I pick a film "not another Mirrormask is it dad?"
The film was interesting looking, and if that was the only aim, it was a successes. Other than that it is confusing, bizarre, at times even painful film of work.
Rating:  - Visually Stunning, But Lacks Character.
The Jim Henson Company teamed together with Dave McKean and Neil Gaiman to bring to life this fantastical tale about a young girl, named Helena (Stephanie Leonidas),struggling into maturity. Helena is a part of a family of circus performers. Even though she spends her free time thinking about fantasy worlds, Helena longs to have a more normal teenage life away from the circus. After a terrible fight with her parents, her mother (Gina McKee) grows very ill and Helena blames herself for her mother's sudden illness. On the evening of her mother's surgery Helena seems to dream herself into a strange world where all the inhabitants wear masks to hide their true selves. The world is in terrible trouble and is being swallowed by a black nothing apparently because of a conflict between the Queen of Light and the Queen of Shadows. The Queen of Light is deathly ill and can only be healed if Helena retrieves an object known as the Mirrormask from the Queen of Shadows. The world is full of stunning beauty and vivid images, including tethered floating giants, moving books, and (my favorite characters in the entire movie) monkey birds. Helena initially believes that the experience is just a dream, but learns that her journey is possibly something much, much more.
Visually speaking, MIRRORMASK is a remarkable film. The film had a relatively small budget, yet there are some things in the film that are more visually astounding in my opinion than in many big-budget fantasy epic films. The music in the film is also very impressive; I was enchanted so much by the score that I find myself listening to parts of the soundtrack in my mind weeks after I had seen the film. Yet, that's pretty much all MIRRORMASK is. The characters are not very well developed and the pacing of the story is incredibly slow. The movie combines elements from two other Jim Henson Company films, THE DARK CRYSTAL and LABYRINTH as well as elements from THE NEVERENDING STORY. However, those films succeed on a level that MIRROMASK does not because the audience actually cares about the characters in those movies.
It's disappointing because MIRRORMASK could have been such a great movie. I don't think there are too many people who will enjoy watching this movie. I'd recommend it for fans of Neil Gaiman, for people who have to see every Jim Henson Company movie, and for film fans (because of the visual elements).
Rating:  - A universal story
Before I saw `Mirrormask' for myself, the glowing reviews here on Amazon surprised me a little. Despite being penned by fantasy author Neil Gaiman in collaboration with The Jim Henson Company, my reaction to the trailers I'd seen wasn't overly enthusiastic. Indeed I wasn't particularly moved to go out of my way to see this film. For some reason my impression of `Mirrormask' was that it show-cased a unique visual style, but wasn't quite matched by a satisfying story.
But in small part I found the opposite to be true- the story engaged me, but the special-effects didn't entrance me. This film does succeed very well however at contrasting the unique home life of the heroine against the strangely disjointed, dark, other-worldly realm she is transported to via her own sketches. If the visual style doesn't quite captivate in every respect, the dialogue certainly does, there are some beautifully phrased and memorable lines delivered by Helena, her mum and her partner-in-crime, the mischievous Valentine.
Having recently seen `Stardust' (based on a book by Gaiman) at the cinema I can definitely see similarities between the two films, the dialogue in particular, but if you expect a similar level of excitement you may be a little disappointed, because while `Stardust' is certainly the extravaganza, `Mirrormask' is more the curiosity, which may not appeal to everyone, but which I'd still heartily recommend for an honest and universal story of hope, fear and fantastical happenings.
Rating: - Great Movie
The movie came in great timing. The quality is great. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys out of the ordinary movies.
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