Sophie Stone (2010 film)

Sophie Stone is a 2010 fantasy film written and directed by Sam Raimi. It is a film that concerns a bored and miserable teenage girl who learns that she has magical powers and begins to coexist in the magical elements of her world, until she is faced with a personal and dangerous enemy. It stars Georgie Henley in the title role, alongside Matt Smith, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Angelina Jolie, Freddie Highmore, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Julia Winter, James Earl Jones, Karen Gillan, Sophie Turner and Willem DaFoe.

Production for the film commenced in 18th January 2010, and the film was released on the 28th September that same year to critical success and a box office triumph of over four times its original budget. Praise for the film went to the film's special effects, CGI, action sequences, plot, score, direction and the performances of Henley, Smith, Gillan and Hopkins. It received several award nominations, and won twelve of them.

Plot
(Camera travels across the city of London as if from a bird's view, honing in on London Zoo)

''*Sophie: I'm going to be honest with you. I used to believe that I was mad. I used to believe that I was going crazy, with the strange things that kept happening to me...scratch that, the strange things that kept happening because of me. But, trust me, I had no idea I could do it. I had no idea how I filled my neighbour's shed with wasps after I fell out with my mum. I had no idea how, after my row with my mum, the car that hit me bounced over my head and landed on my mum when she tried to chase after me. I haven't the foggiest clue how, when they tried to choose my guardian, I accidentally set his head on fire. You see where I'm going with this, do you? That's important, because what you're about to see right now is the one time that I did it on purpose. The one time.*''

(Camera pans on Sophie Stone, a girl walking through London Zoo, curiously observing the animals. She is followed by a black haired boy and three other teens his age. Sophie turns and sees them, and immediately looks the other way.)

* ''Sophie: That's Kyle Gardner. He's a jerk. A first-class, five-star jerk. He's been picking on me since we started school, and the teachers have never really tried to stop him - his dad heads the PTA, you see. And here's the one time he got what he deserved and it didn't have the happy ending that I'd thought about before.*''

Kyle: Hey, Sophie. (Sophie ignores him) Hey, Sophie, I'm talking to you!

(Sophie turns around slowly, and faces him.)

Kyle: (Points at the parrots in the cage in front of her) Look at the parrots. Pretty, don't you think. Pretty little things with big mouths and tiny minds, and dull black eyes. Why don't you go say hello?

Parrot: Hello.

Kyle: See. He says hello, why don't you say hello back? You're being rude.

Sophie: Fair point, Kyle. Look over there (She points over at the warthog enclosure). Youre brothers are calling to you. What do you know, they've got noses bigger than a parrot's big mouth.

(Kyle looks back at her furious, then punches her in the stomach. Sophie buckles, looks up furiously and then slamming into him, knocking him to the ground. Kyle struggles to his feet and glares at her)

Kyle: Filthy little bitch!

(Kyle runs at her, but Sophie swipes her hand for his face. Just as her hand passes over his face, Kyle screams and recoils, covering his face)

Kyle: Arggh! Jesus! What the hell have you done to me?

Sophie: What the hell are you talking about?

[Tense music starts]

(Kyle lowers his hands and looks back at her, and Sophie screams - Kyle's eyes have gone completely white)

Kyle: I can't see! I can't ''see! ''What the hell have you done to me?!

(Kyle charges at Sophie, but runs several inches to her right and slams into one of the enclosures, collapses and starts sobbing)

[Music fades]

(Camera focuses on Sophie's face as she contemplates what she's just done)

''*Sophie: I will never forget how horrified I was when I saw what I'd done to him. The worst part wasn't his screaming, or the look in his empty eyes, or the fact that it got me kicked out of school. The worst part was that I had no idea how I did it. Two years ago now, and he's still yelling. He needs a guide dog now, and his family's rich and vain enough not to want a scandal, so they didn't say what I'd done to anyone. What would they have said anyway? People would have laughed at them. They would have laughed at me. Who are we kidding, people laugh at me anyway*''

(Scene changes to Sophie, two years later, walking through the rain to her house. She notices that a group of boys playing football nearby are glancing warily at her)

[Colours in the Wind by Vanessa Williams starts playing on Sophie's MP3]

* ''Sophie: Nowadays, I'm home-schooled by Charlie Essex, my guardian. He's a nice guy, I suppose, and I've lived with him for five years, but I can't fathom the fact that he keeps giving me advice on how to live my life. It's like everyone thinks I'm still seven years old.''*

Sophie: 'Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon, or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned. You need to sing with all the voices of the mountain'...hi, James. Didn't see you there.

(James appears, jogging over to meet her. Sophie laps a hand around his shoulder and they walk over to Sophie's house)

James: Missed a fight in school today. You know, Kate threw a punch at the janitor. There was this whole scuffle over the astroturf, until the sixth-forms broke it up.

''*I always miss on fun stuff like that. She doesn't feature in this story, but I never liked Kate. Never liked how she'd tell on me whenever she thought I'd cheated on a test. Still, would have killed to be there. Can't, though, that's what expulsion does to you.*''

(As they enter Sophie's house, Sophie peripherally notices a tall, trench-coat-clad man standing in an alley over the road to her. She turns to look at him, but finds that he isn't there. She follows after James)

* ''Sophie: Life's not all bad. James is a great guy. He's my boyfriend, to be honest. He won't agree with you on the subject if you asked him, but he is. We've dated, we've kissed the odd time, and his friends even tease him for being with me. 'Careful, James, don't get too close to Sophie or she'll be the last thing you see', I heard one guy say. As if he knew what happened.*''

(The man reappears, watching them, and then turns and walks away. Meanwhile, Sophie and James are having coffee together, while Charles talks indistinctly behind them)

[Music piques as Sophie looks at James and they toast with their cups of coffee before drinking]

James: Happy half term, Sophie.

Sophie: That's not even a thing.

James: I don't care. It's something to toast to, and it's raining outside - try to be a bit more optimistic.

(They laugh, and Charles watches the two of them)

James: I was wondering if you wanted to go to the movies tonight. My treat, you pick the film if you want.

Sophie: Erm... (She looks up at Charles, as if to ask permission)

Charles: Sure, you guys go ahead. I'm working late, anyway, so you may as well.

Sophie: Shall we say, seven o'clock?

James: Sure.

*Sophie: The first film we went to see together when we were kids was Finding Nemo''. Since then, it's been a thing. We've always loved it. Except, tonight, there was something else entirely about to happen. I wonder what I would have thought if I could see it coming''.*

[I'm So Excited by the Pointer Sisters playing in the background]

(Sophie's room is a mess, and Sophie is lying on her bed reading. She gets up and the screen shows a montage of Sophie dressing up attractively for the night, including thin lipstick and combing her hair back. She collects money from a safe in her cupboard, dresses in a leather jacket and leaves the house. Sophie walks across several streets, heading for BFI IMAX cinema. However, behind her, something slithers into the darkness and she freezes. Slowly, she turns around.)

[Music sharply stops]

Sophie: Hello?

(She paces on her way slowly, her eyes wide with caution. A figure detaches itself from the wall behind her and approaches, three others joining her. Sophie, turns around, just as something invisible slams into her and she is thrown into a cluster of bins. The four figures come into the light, shown to be four tramps. one of them brandishes a knife, which alerts her.)

Tramp 1: Hello there, girl.

(Sophie turns around, sees them, and backs away)

Tramp 2: She looks scared.

Tramp 3: Is it the knife. We can put it away if you like.

(Tramp 2 lunges at her with the knife, and she yells and rolls to one side. Tramp 4 grabs her from behind and produces another knife)

Tramp 4: We're not going to hurt you, girl. That is, if you don't struggle. We just need to leave you with something. (He stuffs something into her jacket pocket) And now, give us your wallet and phone, just for keepsakes.

Sophie: Let me go, please...

(The three other tramps encircle her)

Tramp 4: Boys, take her wallet and her phone for me. Careful, that's a nice jacket she's wearing, don't want to tear it.

(The camera takes a the POV-point of Seamus, who appears behind Tramp 4)

Seamus: Nobody wants that.

(The tramps, startled, see him and freeze. Sophie wimpers as Tramp 4's arm digs into her neck.)

Seamus: Let her go, please. This doesn't have to end badly for you.

Tramp 3: Fancy accent, he's got.

Tramp 2: Smells funny, too.

Tramp 1: Who the hell are you, buster?

Seamus: You clearly weren't listening? I asked you, very politely I might add, to let. Her. Go.

Tramp 2: You asked for it, mate.

(Tramp 1 lunges at Seamus, but instead of slamming into him he lunges right through Seamus and breaks his nose when he crashes into a lamppost behind Seamus. Sophie gasps at what she saw, and Seamus snaps his fingers. Tramp 4's feet suddenly sink into the concrete as if it's wet, and then the concrete hardens and Tramp 4 is ankle-deep in the road)

Seamus: (Telepathically) Now!

[Exciting music plays]

(Sophie drives a knee into Tramp 4's thigh, pushing herself away from him. Seamus flicks his hand and Tramp 4 is thrown, his feet coming clean out of the concrete scattering debris, and hits a wall hard, sliding down and lying still)

Tramp 2: What the hell!

(Tramp 2 claps his hands, which suddenly catch fire, and Tramp 2 grins, pacing towards Seamus. Seamus seems unmoved, and when Tramp 2 throws a fireball at him, he raises an elbow and the fireball blazes against his sleeve and dissolves. Seamus snaps the fingers of his other hand and the coat that Tramp 2 is wearing transforms into a large black snake that hisses fiercely at him. Tramp 2 shrieks, and the snake lunges. Tramp 2 hits the ground and starts wrestling with the snake, and Sophie cannot help but giggle.)

Seamus: (Pacing around Tramp 2 as he writhes) And, in seconds of being attacked by his own item of clothing, a skilled man becomes a madman rolling on the pavement wrestling with a reptile. How the mighty have fallen.

(Tramp 3 appears behind Seamus and picks up the knife. He brings his knife-hand back and lunges.)

Sophie: Look out!

(Seamus turns calmly around and glances at the man, before spreading his trench coat and suddenly a swarm of bees erupt from inside his coat. They envelop the man, who recoils and starts howling, flailing his arms and staggering out of sight, his screams still audible from far away)

Seamus: Well, that went smoothly, don't you agree?

Sophie: There were four of them...

(Tramp 1 pounces out of nowhere and Seamus flicks his wrist at him, and suddenly the nearby stop sign bends down and swats Tramp 1 in the face, knocking him several feet back, where he lies unconscious. Sophie gasps.)

Seamus: I do so hate the kind of people who lunge from behind as if they think they have the upper hand, don't you? Oh, I'm sorry, I've forgotten my manners. Are you injured.

Sophie: Not badly.

Seamus: That is very fortunate. I do hope I did not startle you as much as those very rude men did.

Sophie: Who were they.

Seamus: Judging from their attitude, very rude men.

Sophie: They threw fireballs at you.

Seamus: Correction. Only one of them threw fireballs at me, really. The others either didn't know how to, or knew how to and were too hot-headed to think about it.

Sophie: What are you talking about?

Seamus: I'm sorry, you probably haven't understood anything that has happened in the last five minutes. Put simply...do you believe in magic?

Sophie: What kind of a question is that?

Seamus: Dear lord, you are a belligerent one. Well, you'd best be on your way, and we will continue this little conversation tomorrow morning. Actually.. (He approaches Sophie too fast for her to react, and places a hand on her forehead. Sophie's eyes roll to the back of her head and she slackens, and he catches her.) until tomorrow, you will forget that what has transpired in the last few minutes. You will go and see this boyfriend of yours, and you will enjoy the movie - I have seen it, and enjoyed it, so I hope that you do too. You will come to the Starbucks cafe by Victoria Station, and we shall discuss it from there. Tell nobody where you are going when you do. Until then, Miss Sophie Stone...cheerio. (He removes his hand an Sophie stands bolt-upright for a moment. Seamus flourishes his cloak over his head and disappears from sight where he stands. Sophie suddenly blinks and shakes away her dizziness, before picking up her bag and walking onwards, ignoring the scene of the fight around her. The scene cuts to Sophie and James sitting at the back of a cinema, with big boxes of popcorn between them, grinning broadly and clearly enjoying the film)

* ''Sophie: I did forget. To this day, I still can't believe he made me forget. And I did enjoy the film, like he said. That part was definitely all me. And, the next day, I can remember thinking '''I really have to go to Victoria Station today'. Don't ask me to explain why, I just felt like that.*

(Scene shows Sophie sitting on the Underground train, which stops at Victoria station. She exits the train and walks up to the open, where she finds the Starbucks cafe. Seamus stands by the window, awaiting her)

Sophie: What the hell did you do to me? I couldn't remember...until now...a man nearly set you on fire!

Seamus: Keep your voice down please, Sophie. How was the film?

(Sophie pauses, caught off guard by the question)

Sophie: Really good.

Seamus: You kissed?

Sophie: None of your business.

(Seamus laughs)

Seamus: I should probably explain myself. My name is Seamus. I'm two hundred years old. And I'm a sorcerer. Please, follow me?

(Seamus turns and walks down a dark alleyway. Sophie, dumbfounded, rushes after him)

Sophie: Sorcerer! You mean, like Harry Potter?

Seamus: I love those books. Best thing to be said about magic since The Lord of the Rings. In answer to your question: in a sense.

Sophie: You mean, like 'pull a rabbit out of a hat' sorcerer?

Seamus: Yes, but with more dignified practises. And, by the way, it's cruel to pull a rabbit out of a hat if the hat is its home.

Sophie: A sorcerer!

Seamus: Precisely.

(They come to a fire exit and Seamus smoothly moves his hand over the lettering on the door. The door shimmers and a handle appears on his right. He opens the door and bids her enter. Inside is a huge, black-walled stone cave lined with bookshelves and stands lined with potions and one large, square space in the middle. Torches that sprout large, blue flames line the walls, illuminating the place beautifully)

Seamus: Welcome to my humble abode.

(Sophie looks at the place, stunned)

Sophie: Wow...you live here?

Seamus: I live here, yes. And I work here. I've been living here for a hundred years of my life now. And now, this is your new school. Now, that thing that one of those very rude men put in your jacket pocket. Could you please give it to me?

Sophie: What? (It is clear from her expression that she originally forgot she had it. She pulls out a ten-centimetre wide silver disc split into two halves by a black line. Mesmerised, Sophie stares at it.)

Seamus: Could you please give that to me?

Sophie: What is it?

Seamus: Doesn't matter. Please, give it to me?

(Curious, Sophie tosses the disc to him, and he catches it in one hand. He throws it at one of the bookcases, which opens to reveal a small compartment where the disc lands, and the bookcase closes and conceals it.)

Seamus: Now, let's begin with a little introduction. Sorcery, magic, it is all real. All true. Magic exists in this world, and there are people who can wield it. (Seamus circles Sophie, who steps closer to him, drinking in every word) I myself am something of a...conoisseur, I believe the word is. I've studied magic all my life, and I've taught people magic all my life...I personally was taught by my father, and his before him...

Sophie: Wait, slow down. Why have you brought me here?

Seamus: I've been watching you, Sophie. I've been watching you, ever since you survived that car crash.

(Sophie winces)

Sophie: I don't want to talk about it. What are you saying?

Seamus: Isn't it obvious?

(Sophie stares at him, mouth open)

Sophie: You don't mean?

Seamus: Based on what you saw last night, and what you did to that boy...it seems like it.

Sophie: I have magic?

Seamus: (Nodding) And very powerful, I might add.

Sophie: How? I've barely used anything like it.

Seamus: You filled your neighbour's shed with wasps. That's pretty good magic for a beginner, I say.

Sophie: How?

(Seamus gestures, and a wooden chair creaks over towards him and he sits down)

Seamus: I'm about to teach you a few basic spells. We'll start with some simple telekinesis...I need you to do precisely as I say. First, Cain!

[Tense music starts]

(Something moves behind Sophie and she yells as a huge, reptilian creature lurks over her. As it comes into the light, she sees it is a huge, orange dragon with deep green eyes, two hind legs and massive batlike wings. The beast rears its head and suddenly speaks with a smooth, calm voice)

Cain: Good morning, my dear. I am very pleased to meet you.

(Sophie stares at Cain, her jaw shuddering with amazement.)

Sophie: I can't....that's not....my God!

(Sophie faints and slumps to the ground. Cain shakes his head, closing his eyes. Seamus sighs and reaches under the chair, inexplicably pulling out a cup of tea and saucer)

Seamus: At least she didn't shriek. Remember the last one, and how she screamed?

(Scene cuts to Sophie standing with Cain watching, and Seamus instructing her inaudibly)

* ''Sophie: He taught me how to use magic. He was a good teacher. I remember, to use magic, I had to just reach out with my mind and will for something to happen to something in front of me. We started with having me move a cup of tea towards me, and it took me four tries - I spilled the tea over Seamus's trousers on the third try.  (Shows Sophie levitating books into a neat pile, with Seamus voicing instructions) I couldn't help but love it. Love how he taught me things. Within an hour, he'd taught me to move objects with my mind, turn the torches on and off, and even dial a number on my phone with a flick of my hand.''

(Sophie sits down with Cain hovering over her)

Cain: I've seen better.

Sophie: Is that a fact?

Cain: I'm five hundred years old, child. I've seen a lot. I've definitely seen better.

Seamus: Tone down the pomposity, Cain. She's new.

(Scene cuts to Sophie sitting by a bookcase with Seamus)

Sophie: Where are all the other sorcerers. And all the other dragons? You'd think people saw more of these things?

Seamus: You would, wouldn't you? See, non-magical people perceive things differently from us. Similar to Muggles from Harry Potter, they see things differently - they don't see dragons at all unless something really major happens. And they don't usually see magic, depends on the situation.

Sophie: But, shouldn't there be more of you?

(Cain looks down at Seamus, growling. Seamus pauses, a look of regret on his face as he sorts through a book)

Seamus: There were. Dragons became rarer by the decade, the more sorcerers kept killing them. Sorcerers never really liked dragons because dragons are usually stronger than sorcerers in magic. Sorcerers became arrogant. There was one of them, he did this one thing, this one stupid thing...he triggered a magical civil war between sorcerers. The war was over whether or not sorcerers should be the superior power in the world. I fought, and so did Cain. Eventually, nearly all of the sorcerers who weren't skilled enough were wiped out, and those who were powerful enough were betrayed by their most ambitious of students. Today, sorcerers called it the cleansing. I'm one of the last surviving sorcerers from the Cleansing. And Cain is one of the last dragons. There are more of them out there, and most of them are descendants from sorcerers who fought in the Cleansing. But, there were more of them, and there was a bigger meaning to sorcery. Nowadays, these people are out doing party tricks. And some sorcerers go through their entire lives not knowing what they are, thinking they are mad or unfortunate or unnatural. (Seamus looks at her) Dragons can sense magic in people. He sensed it in you, and made me watch you. You are unnaturally powerful, Sophie, for one so young an completely untrained.

Sophie: What did this sorcerer do, the stupid one? What triggered the Cleansing?

Cain: It matters not. What is done is done, and the sorcerer is gone.

Seamus: He is.

Seamus (Sighing): Come back tomorrow, Sophie, and we'll train more.

(Scene cuts to Sophie leaving the cave and walking home, and then to Seamus and Cain standing in the cave).

Cain: They gave her the disc.

Seamus: Yes.

Cain: Why her?

Seamus: I don't know. Cain, keep an eye on her. I have a terrible feeling about this.

(Cain growls and turns around, before launching into the air and flying into the darkness. He emerges out of the cave through the Thames, exploding through a horus of water and spiralling in the air. As he does so, his eyes blaze and he suddenly turns invisible, before turning and flying across London. The scene cuts to Sophie, at home with Charles. She is deep in thought, until she speaks.)

Sophie: Charles...I've got a part-time job for half-term.

Charles: Fantastic. Where?

Sophie: Starbucks, by Victoria Station. It pays quite well and its for most of the day, on weekdays only.

Charles: Not bad. You're moving on, Sophie.

Sophie: Yep...I sure am.

(Scene cuts to Sophie and James sitting and talking in a park)

Sophie: So...I'd got a job the other day.

James: Charles told me. Nice going, by the way. I'm still pining for one.

Sophie: I got it by luck, I suppose. It's not as easy as you'd think.

(The conversation is broken up when a basketball narrowly misses Sophie's head by an inch...)

 To be continued