A Rollicking Adventure For The Kids (Or The Kid In All Of Us)

Rating: 7/10 (6 March 2017)

Though not a movie I would usually be drawn too (it looked a bit unabashedly "kiddie" for my tastes), it came highly recommend from a family member obsessed with Spielberg filmmaking. I gave it a try and, while it won't top any of my "best-of" lists, it did provide a great deal of adventure, drama, action, and humor, pleasantly surprising me in the process.
For a basic plot summary, "Adventures of Tintin" focuses on the young Tintin (voice of Jamie Bell), a kind of Indiana Jones-type adventurer along with trusty sidekick dog Snowy. When young Tintin buys a model ship at an auction one day, he is suddenly thrust into a race for treasure involving a drunken sea captain (voice of Andy Serkis) and his nefarious foe (voice of Daniel Craig).
I would say that the long-lasting effects of this film will be two-fold:
First, I would still categorize it as very much a children's movie. It could probably best be described as "Indiana Jones for the elementary set" in terms of its combination of all genre elements. Had I first viewed this film as a child, I know that I would have watched it again and again! For adults, of course, it also functions as escapism.
Also, the somewhat controversial animation (is this middle ground needed between reality and Pixar-like animation?) is truly a sight to behold. I honestly am not any sort of expert on the subject and thus have no predictions for the future of the format, but the visuals are as top- notch as anything you'll see anywhere else. It is just...different.
Overall, "Adventures of Tintin" just seems like Spielberg's childhood epic. Perhaps the film can be appreciated even more if one has read the comic novel stories it is based on (I didn't even know about this until after the viewing!). On the whole, though, a very entertaining flick that makes for great family viewing.