A great movie for a historical film, mechanical engineer, and Paris nerd

Rating: 5/10 (14 October 2012)

Beware! This review contains spoilers
Level set: I'm an engineer, enjoy silent films and early photography, and used to repair clocks and other mechanical equipment professionally. I think steam locomotives are really cool. I don't speak French well, but I love Paris.
That said, I really enjoyed this movie in spite of its length, mechanical engineering problems, and unabashed schmaltz. I loved the historical movie reenactments; the Paris vignettes, and the train wreck dream sequence (based on the Montparnasse 22 October 1895 accident). The cinematography was spectacular, especially if you're into mechanics and technical photography.
Was the movie trailer misleading? You betcha! The trailer made this look like another Harry Potter flick; it barely even mentioned Georges Méliès, and it was Méliès about whom the entire plot revolved. Back when my kids were 10 and 12, I bet they would have wiggled and squirmed uncontrollably.
For me, it was an 8 star movie, but I'm only giving it 5 stars for the misleading advertising.