Orphan brothers embark on a curious adventure in this limp family fantasy, based on Cornelia Funke's bestselling children's novel. After escaping their cruel aunt and uncle, Prosper (Aaron Johnson) and the younger Bo (Jasper Harris) head to Venice and fall in with a group of fellow child runaways, led by Scipio (Rollo Weeks), the teenage self-styled "Thief Lord". Supporting themselves by stealing for a crooked antiques dealer (a cartoonish Alexei Sayle), the gang end up commissioned to find a magical artefact. Though the events that follow contain a sprinkling of mystery and enchantment, the overall storyline is woefully underdeveloped. Intriguing ideas are annoyingly squandered in favour of constant fleeing from grown-ups, leaving plot threads dangling. Worse still, the acting is appallingly wooden (with not a single Italian accent to be heard!), making everything feel flat and amateurish. Consequently, while the under-10s might enjoy the cheeky dialogue and scenes of adult humiliation, few others will share their enthusiasm.

A tale about two young boys, Prosper and Bo, who flee to Venice after being orphaned and dumped in the care of a cruel auntie. Hiding in the canals and alleyways of the city, the boys are befriended by a gang of young urchins and their enigmatic leader, the Thief Lord. From their home base of an old cinema theater, the children steal from the rich to support themselves and soon capture the interest of a bumbling detective. However, a greater threat to the children is something from a forgotten past - a beautiful magical treasure with the power to spin time itself