The God Of Visual Effects. ♦ 70%

Rating: 7/10 (2 December 2013)

That is what kept me going and then there is history of cinema. I was gob-smacked to have the history of cinema re-narrated on screen and now I have a list to watch, of the first movies.
Hugo is a masterpiece, not because of the story, but because of the splendid visual effects. I was taken aback when every single sequence had the dust swaying around like I was inside the film along with the cast. And with a beautiful performance by front-runners along with great direction, this film is the right food for cinema aficionados.
Now with what I did not like: the story is little shallow to be believable and with the conclusion so instantly inferring, it further attenuated the whole point. The reminiscent of old movies was absolute, but the editing is very poor. Great cinematography & CGI, but when you have an abrupt screenplay, it turns you off. To be frank, the first half really is monotonous and it is only the second part where fun kicks in & your curiosity is answered without killing the cat.
BOTTOM LINE: Recommended still, because of the aesthetic value and pure cinema pleasure. The beauty of Hugo lies in its VFX, Ben Kingsley & Asa Butterfield. Sacha Baron Cohen is splendid. For it has won 5 Oscars, go have a look, you won't be disappointed.