“The Thief Lord” is based on the novel by Cornelia Funke (who also penned “Inkheart”, “Inkspell” and “Dragonrider”). Recently orphaned, brothers Prosper and Bo find themselves separated by a mean aunt and uncle. Prosper is sent to live at an orphanage while Bo goes to live with their family. But Prosper won’t let Bo be alone and knows that he’s better off with him, and so rescues him from their Aunt Esther and Uncle Max. Together they make off for Venice, the city their mother had planned to take them to before she died.
A chance encounter leads Bo and Prosper to the masked Thief Lord, also known as Scipio (pronounce Skip-ee-oh). Scipio brings the brothers to an abandoned theater where he and three other teen orphans are staying. Seems Scipio uses his thieving skills to steal from the rich, then turns around to sell to a man named Barbarosa, a weasel-like shop owner to make money to provide food for the other orphans. He offers Prosper and Bo a chance to stay with them if they can get a good deal from Barbarosa for Scip’s latest haul.
Prosper bargains more money than the orphans have seen in a long time and they celebrate with a good meal. But the celebration is short lived as they realize that a detective is on the hunt for Prosper and Bo. Victor has been hired by their aunt and uncle to return Bo and put Prosper back in the orphanage.
Meanwhile, Scip is offered a job he can’t refuse. Barbarosa puts him in contact with a strange man who wants him to steal a wooden wing in exchange for $50,000. But, Scip has a secret too, and because of it, the other orphans decide to steal the wing on their own. But, they all get caught by the wing’s owner,Ida, who decides to help the children complete the transaction and discover why the old man wanted it stolen. They learn that the wing is part of an old wooden merry-go-round that is said to possess the powers to make you older or younger, depending on which direction you ride it.
The mystery doesn’t end there, though. Ida and the children, with help from the reluctant Victor (who decides the children are better off with each other than their aunt and uncle), work to uncover the mystery of the merry-go-round and learn that the world still has magic in it.
“The Thief Lord” is suitable for all ages, but its pace is slow and so younger viewers might get a little bored. But our five year old enjoyed it immensely (though he was confused as first as to why the Thief Lord was sometimes masked). The book is great too, though I found that slow moving as well.
“The Thief Lord” is rated PG for language (mild swearing) and thematic elements
Starring: Caroline Goodall, Aaron Johnson, Rollo Weeks, Jasper Harris
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