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Show:		4.0
Picture:		5.0
Sound:		6.0
Extras:		1.0
Score:		5.0

Director(s):	Vadim Jean
Writer(s):	Terry Pratchett (novel), Vadim Jean (screenplay)
Starring:	Brian Cox • Christopher Lee • Jeremy Irons • Tim Curry • Sean Astin
Genre:	Children & Family • Fantasy • Television
Release Date:	July 14, 2009
Rated:

List Price:	DVD - $11.49
Amazon:

It would be really easy to bash The Color of Magic (or The Colour of Magic, in its original spelling) for trying to be a cheaper version of Stardust or even Lord of the Rings – but that would be unfair. Those films (books, etc.) may form the foundation of the genre and the standard against which others are measured, but they’re really only relevant when a film is actually trying to mimic them. The Color of Magic isn’t in their tradition. Instead, The Color of Magic is best compared to the made-for-television mini-series The 10^th Kingdom, a fairytale romp as humorous as it was flawed. Celebrated fantasy author Terry Pratchett’s novels received a decent made-for-television film adaptation in The Color of Magic, but even when measured against a lower standard like The 10^th Kingdom, it falters and eventually fails.

Brian Cox’s less than iconic voice narrates the opening sequence establishing the characters as living in a disc-world atop a giant tortoise where magic, dragons and the fantastic exist in some kingdoms but not others. It turns out Discworld is a very fractured place with little exchange between the cultures: until now. Twoflower (Sean Astin), Discworld’s first ever tourist, arrives in one of the magical lands with a chest full of gold, a misunderstanding of his own travel guide and the diplomatic protection of the local magistrate. The protection of Twoflower falls to the failed wizard Rincewind (David Jason) whose only magical spell comes ripped from a forbidden magical text. Unfortunately, it’s Rincewind’s knowledge of that one spell, which he gleaned during a dare when he was younger, that makes him the target of the nefarious wizard Trymon (Tim Curry) who is slowly but surely killing his way to the top of the wizardly order.

Their adventures are rife with dangers and perilous adversaries and Twoflower seems oblivious to everything going on around him – which I think would make him the worst tourist ever? Even if that does make him an accurate tourist stereotype. The tourist jokes, while tired and old, do allow for the few chortles the film scores on its audience. Sean Astin’s earnest demeanor certainly endears his character and makes him all the more child-friendly, but it robs the character of any real weight or meaning. Characters with nothing but a good side are as boring as characters with only evil intentions – Astin is one of the former.

David Jones, as Rincewind, holds an exasperated look on his face for the majority of the film’s duration and only seldom replaces it with bewilderment. Being the awful wizard that he is, each obstacle that befalls the duo proves them ill-equipped to deal with it in any real manner. David Jones doesn’t deliver a memorable performance, but it’s hard to say if it’s really his fault considering the uninspired direction of Vadim Jean who, much to my dismay, found a way to squander the awesome talent of Tim Curry who plays his role with his usual sleazy smarminess – but this time it all feels so dry and exhausted.

Christopher Lee, like Brian Cox, lends his voice to this amateurish production as Death who’s in constant pursuit of Rincewind. Other noted cameos include Jeremy Irons, who gives the film more than it deserves with his few brief scenes.

When the characters and story don’t disappoint, the special effects are leaving a little to be desired – but what did you expect from a TV film adaptation? Even a mini-series falls victim to budgetary restrictions, so it’s fortunate that the overall production has Pratchett’s story to fall back on. And that really is the saving grace of The Color of Magic: the source material. Vadim Jean made a decent effort in translating the witty and quirky charm of the characters, but the translation is far from perfect, thus heralding in the comparisons to The 10^th Kingdom which suffered similarly in the adaptation phase. It begs the question as to why fantasy projects with huge special effects numbers written in are greenlit for television budgets. The fans certainly appreciate seeing their favorite novels getting the TV treatment, but there’s something to be said for doing it right or not at all.

The Color of Magic provides an entertaining story, but that’s about where the pluses of the production end. If you’re a fan pick it up and enjoy, but otherwise you won’t regret passing it by.

DVD Bonus Features

There are no extra features – but considering the TV format for which it was made, are you really surprised?