Director Steven Spielberg has spent nearly 30 years trying to bring The Adventures of Tintin to the big screen. The popular comics by Belgian artist Hergé have a worldwide fan base, but more so in Europe than in North America, which may limit the film’s appeal on these shores. Lack of knowledge of these stories should not deter you from seeing this movie, however. More than just an excellent family film, it’s an action-adventure on par with some of Spielberg’s best work.
The film story is assembled from three 40s-era Tintin classics: The Crab with the Golden Claws, The Secret of the Unicorn, and Red Rackham’s Treasure, with loads of additional action thrown in. Boy-reporter Tintin (Jamie Bell) purchases a model ship from an antiques seller, and is immediately set upon by two suspicious men, each looking to take it off his hands. Before long, one of them is dead and the other, Mr. Sakharine (Daniel Craig) is the prime suspect in the theft of the ship from Tintin’s apartment. But Tintin discovers a secret about the model that leads him and his clever dog Snowy on an adventure to find the lost treasure of the Unicorn. On the way they meet the alcoholic Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis), whose ancestor was the captain of the ship before it was scuttled by pirates, and who may be the only one who can solve the mystery, if he can sober up long enough to remember how.
This is a motion-capture animated film, and the technique has grown in leaps and bounds over the past few years, nearly resolving the “dead eye” phenomenon that has plagued previous efforts like The Polar Express. The animators have done a great job of rendering 3-dimensional likenesses of Hergé’s characters, with a clever nod in the beginning of the film to the original drawings. In fact, fans of the comics will recognize many favourite characters drifting by in the background or in humorous cameos such as those by the bumbling detective Thompson twins (Simon Pegg, Nick Frost) and the ear-splitting opera diva Bianca Castafiore.
But as much as the film maintains its loyalty to the source material, it’s the original touches added by Spielberg and company that really shine, namely some breathtaking action scenes. A flaming plane crash and a motorcycle chase through a North African city both generate the same excitement as the best sequences from the Indiana Jones movies. And the animation is used to great effect as well, especially in transitions between scenes as one image morphs into another. It’s impossible to believe that Spielberg has never directed a full-length animated feature before.
Excellent performances enhance the visuals, particularly since the animation is layered over the actors’ actual movements. Admittedly, Tintin has always been a slightly bland character, but Bell nails his energy and adventurous spirit. Haddock is tougher to play, since his obsession with the bottle borders on annoying, but Serkis at least has the motion capture experience to do the job. And Craig provides a great villain in Sakharine.
The holiday season may have left you worn out on kids’ movies, but youth is certainly not a requirement to enjoy The Adventures of Tintin. Highly recommended.
Tags: Movie Review
About the author: David Raitt
David Raitt is a writer and lover of pop culture. He lives in Oakville. He has also worked as an actor for The Second City, and has written, produced and performed his own sketch comedy, including the Canadian Comedy Award-nominated ALL THE RAGE. Semi-retired from performing, he still teaches improv and communications skills to students and corporate groups through his association with The Second City. Check out Dave's website at http://davidraitt.com
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