Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:120
Fresh:44
Rotten:76
Average Rating:4.9/10
Consensus: Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium's title is much more fun that the film itself, as the colorful visuals and talented players can't make up for a bland story.
Theatrical Release:14-12-2007
Synopsis: In writer-director Zach Helm's whimsical 2007 film, MR. MAGORIUM'S WONDER EMPORIUM, veteran actor Dustin Hoffman plays the title character, a 243-year-old toy-store owner who is ready to pass his... [More]
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Natalie Portman, Jason Bateman, Zach Mills
Director: Zach Helm
Reviews for Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
| Tomatometer | Critic | Review | Category |
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 7/10 |
Although it's not set at Christmas, it's a great traditional yet contemporary festive treat. Full Review |
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Better to prepare your children for the world with a DVD of Hoffman in Midnight Cowboy. Full Review |
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In its favour, there's nothing here to upset the children. (Not, that is, unless they're allergic to Hoffman's hammy, Method-derived acting.) Full Review |
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No wise child, let alone grown-up, will touch this with a turkey baster. Full Review |
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2/5 |
You'd have to be a Scrooge to take against this, though it could use a little more Roald Dahl-ish bite, and a little less of the Hoffman twinkle. Needless to say, it all ends happily. Full Review |
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2/5 |
Things go badly wrong when eccentric Mr Magorium announces he has had enough of his 243 years on earth and has decided to pop his clogs. Full Review |
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3/5 |
This is a lovely story for children under 14. Jason Bateman is the horrified and expensive plod who has to wind up Hoffman’s wild accounts. Portman is wonderful as the daffy heroine who needs to grow up and perhaps fall in love. Full Review |
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2/5 |
Trying with all its might to be endearing, the magic is simply missing. Hoffman is unbelievably annoying as the lisping Willy Wonka wannabe, while Portman looks uninterested. Full Review |
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0/5 |
Mr Magorium’s Terrible Tedium. Full Review |
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2/5 |
No doubt intended to be a Christmas blockbuster - this pretty looking film is ultimately all wrapping, with nothing much to find inside. Full Review |
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2/5 |
Too dark for kids, too daffy for grown-ups. There’s the odd glimmer of charm, but beneath the fluttering FX and existential fluster, Helm has buried the most important toy in the box: a good story. Full Review |
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2/6 |
Let’s not be too Scrooge-like; there are pockets of charm, and some of the effects are quite good. Full Review |
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2/5 |
Schmaltzy musical cues ensure we all get the message, but the desperately dull final third is likely to drive both kids and grown-ups to nose-picking, seat-kicking distraction. Full Review |
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3/5 |
Structurally it’s a bit ragtag, but, as your mum would say, it has its heart in the right place. For all its wilful oddness it’s enchanting, imaginative and genuinely moving. Full Review |
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4/5 |
This children's tale of magical whimsy miraculously avoids even toying with violence - while confronting the finality of death head-on. Full Review |
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3.5/5 |
It's a little sentimental, and the finale feels rushed, but along the way it's great fun. Full Review |
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65/100 |
The wonderful fantasy elements Zach Helm was trying to tap into do not translate over to this particular toy store. Full Review |
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For all its computer-generated effects and colorful sight gags, Magorium is a dreadfully prosaic movie, lacking charm and grace. Full Review |
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C+ |
A weak whimsical story with a good heart. Full Review |
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5/5 |
The trailers make the movie look like the ickiest kind of whimsy, accompanied by obstreperous special effects, but the film itself is gasp-worthy. Full Review |
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