Hugo is a smart, elegant adventure that marks a surprising new turn for Martin Scorcese

Rating: 8/10 (3 December 2016)

Would you have guess influential filmmaker Martin Scorcese would step foot behind the camera of a children's movie, let alone on with the magic and energy that feels reminiscent to classic works of Steven Spielberg or Robert Zemeckis. This rollicking period piece set in Paris during the 1930s marks a surprising new turn for Martin Scorcese who is rarely known for stepping outside the gritty mobster genre, with 'Goodfellas' and 'Casino' being some of his most notable work. If you thought that Scorcese effectively achieving the innocence of childhood and the liveliness of Brian Selznick's book 'The Invention of Hugo Cabret' would a task too good to be true, prepared to get blown away because Scorcese has proved himself capable of casting his hands on a genre that actually kid-friendly unlike most of his more somber works. Set in the 1930s, the film follows 12-year old Hugo Cabret (played by Asa Butterfield), a young boy living at a busy train station in Paris after the death of his father (played by Jude Law), where he works as a maintenance boy fixing the clock tower when he need be. The boy owns a robotic figure known as the automaton which was left be his father after his death. One day, he comes face-to-face with a girl named Isabelle (played by Chloe Grace Moretz), the granddaughter of a toy store owner and former filmmaker Georges Melies (played by Ben Kingsley). Hugo learns that Isabelle along with her grandfather hold a secret to his late father that the two children must set out to discover.
Although the film is marketed towards children, the sophistication of the plot can be a little difficult for elementary school-aged youngsters to buy into. Fortunately, that is not to say that Martin Scorcese doesn't bring a certain elegance to the story that would appeal to both children and adults alike, particularly if they watch this in 3-D. From the breathtaking opening bird's eye shot of Paris, to the inspiring visuals, the film has more than a handful to bargain for. The film tells a blissful story that captures the astounding innocence of childhood and an adventure of a young boy to discover the true meaning of home, while learning some astonishing secrets of his late father. Scorcese successfully captures this without diving too far in the dark territory nor coming off too juvenile, though the tone in which story proceeds lean slightly more on the former side. The story is certainly not an excellent as it kicks off on a rather meandering start during it's first half, but when it finally takes off its quite mesmerizing. As the plot proceeds, the film gracefully dives into the two young leads discovering the history of film ranging from the story behind the 1902 silent film 'A Trip to the Moon', to the dawn of the use of 3-D in cinema, to an inspiring secret that leads to a revelation of the one of the supporting characters. It's a subplot that serves not only as a tasty treat for the story, but also a love letter to Hollywood buffs particularly by Martin Scorcese who doesn't hesitate to express his love for the realm of cinema.
What comes from a sensational story based on the screenplay by John Logan (who last collaborated with Martin Scorcese in 'The Aviator') along with Brian Selznick's novel must come some engaging characters and performances. That is where English actor Asa Butterfield and actress Chloe Grace Moretz come in. Asa Butterfield effectively breaths life into the titular character, he brings a certain innocence to his character that many child actors his age struggle to deliver nowadays. Along his side is Chloe Grace Moretz who stands as one of the finest teen actresses working today. Differentiating from her high-octane foulmouthed persona as Hit Girl in the superhero actioner 'Kick Ass' and her vicious vampire portrayal in 'Let Me In', Moretz brings a fair amount of ingenuity in her character who becomes a loyal friend to the titular character on his mission, especially with her rich British accent she manages pull off. Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley delivers a sense of freshness in the role of Georges Melies, the grandfather of Chloe Grace Moretz's character. Lastly is Sacha Baron Cohen who provides some fair comic relief as the quirky train station operator who along with his not-so friendly dog makes several unsuccessful but light-hearted attempts to capture the young child and send him off to an orphanage, but to face a series of goofy pratfalls from the child outwitting him.
Hugo is a smart, if not masterful family-friendly adventure that marks a shocking new turn for influential director Martin Scorcese. It is an elegant adventure that will likely meet great appeal to middle school-age kids if not elementary schoolers. Nonetheless, it is a lively treat that sees Martin Scorcese expanding upon his cinematic range.