Summary
Backin the nineties, Macaulay Culkinwas one of the most reliable child actors around. In most instances, if someone threw him into a film with a charming premise, a solid score, and the ability to get lost and have fun, the movie was bound to be enjoyed by children at the very least. Believe it or not, the 1994 partially animated and partially live-action movieThe Pagemasterfeatured tons of big-name talent.
Outside of Macaulay Culkin in the lead role, Christopher Lloyd, Whoopi Goldberg, Leonard Nimoy, Patrick Stewart, and so many more were involved in the movie. Originally based on a short story in the form of a pitch,The Pagemasteris an imaginative film that many people may have forgotten about for one reason or another.
75 minutes
$34 million
$13.7 million
Where to watch
The Pagemaster is available to rent or buy atPrime Video.
Little Richard Tyler is one of the biggest scaredy-cats around. His parents are well aware of that fact and try to bring him out of his shell, eventually resulting in Richardhaving to stop in at a libraryto take shelter from a massive rain storm. It’s here that Richard meets the mysterious Mr. Dewey, a librarian who gives Richard a library card. Before long, Richard winds up slipping on some water and passes out, waking up later to find a world of illustrations coming to life all around him.
Looking for a way out, Richard meets the Pagemaster who sends the young boy on a journey to the exit. Luckily, Richard makes friends with three living books named Adventure, Horror, and Fantasy. In return for Richard checking the books out when he leaves, the three offer to help him as he battles against a litany of literary characters. Richard and the books square off against pirates, Mr. Hyde,and even the massive whaleMoby-Dick.
Eventually, things take a turn for the worse, as when the exit is finally in view, Richard is left to confront a dragon. Richard has proven himself to be much braver as he’s struggled against the various literary threats, even being willing to take up a sword and shield against a dragon. While Richard iscapable of battling piratesand dragons, that doesn’t mean he’s capable of beating them, resulting in the young boy being swallowed whole by the beast. With few options for escape, it seems like Richard’s journey may have ended just before he could make it to the exit back to the real world.
What Is The Pagemaster’s Rotten Tomatoes Score?
Neither fans nor critics have been particularly kind toThe Pagemasteron Rotten Tomatoes.The movie is certainly rottenin the eyes of both groups, with critics giving the film 21% and general audiences giving it 49%. While general fans have been much kinder to the film across the board, one thing that is important to keep in mind is the fact that many of the most positive reviews for the movie cite nostalgia as a part of their affection for it.
Many fans talk about the imaginative animation seen throughout the film, the unique take on familiar stories, and of course, heaps of nostalgia. A lot of attention, in particular, is given to the solid performance of then-child actor Macaulay Culkin, though the other heavy hitters in the cast often receive praise as well. It’s the more imaginative aspects of the story that are demonstrated through the living books and blended animation within live-action that many also call out as major positives for the movie.
On the other hand, critics were a lot harsher. Many of the complaints of critics make the film seem like one that most people would throw on to simply pass the time when there’s nothing better to do. Words like mediocre, bland, and even dreary are all used by critics, something that some people may resonate with. Even famed reviewerRoger Ebert had some choice words for the film in his review:
Many of the scenes seem to be glimpsed through a yellowing, dusty pane, at twilight. There’s not much color and sharpness. The artistic approach makes the drawings seem unfocused. And the content (one hair-raising close call after another) is more of a rollercoaster ride than a story.
How Does The Pagemaster End?
Finding himselfswallowed by a dragon, it seems like Richard might be doomed to be digested by the massive beast. Luckily, the hungry dragon has gone ahead and snacked on some books, meaning Richard has a way out once he finds a familiar story about a magical beanstalk. Before long, a massive beanstalk has sprouted out of the dragon, allowing Richard to finally reach the exit and confront the Pagemaster. Obviously, not overly thrilled by everything he’s been through, Richard immediately berates the Pagemaster. He blames the magical being for nearly getting him killed time and time again, but as it turns out, the Pagemaster had orchestrated everything in order to turn Richard into a much braver person than before. Each of the trials he’d faced throughout the movie was all to help him grow as a person, with the various enemies coming back to congratulate the young boy on reaching his journey’s end.
With Richard understanding the point of his adventure, he and his new friends are sent back to the real world where he wakes up and is faced with the librarian Mr. Dewey. Luckily,despite the usual library policy, Mr. Dewey lets Richard take all three of his book friends with him as he leaves. The difficult journey that Richard had faced turned him into a much more adventurous boy who knows there is little to fear once you’ve tangled with a massive dragon.
MORE:Fan-Made Live-Action Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Is Complete
