Spielberg is back on form!

Rating: 9/10 (10 January 2012)

The Adventures Of Tintin is an absolute joy to watch. For the first time since 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' has Steven Spielberg managed to make an action adventure film on an equally enjoyable level. So trade the fedora hat for a spiky patch of red hair, the snakes for a faithful dog companion, the boulders for tanks and you have The Adventures Of Tintin.
The film follows a winding narrative that puts the young Belgian detective on a worldwide hunt for the lost treasure of the unicorn ship. With the Unicorn, Spielberg has found the perfect MacGuffin which is guaranteed to maintain the audiences interest throughout. Jamie Bell possesses an innocence and an ingenuity that makes Tintin a well rounded, likable character but the REAL treat is about a 1/3rd into the film when Andy Serkis appears as Tintin's 'side-kick'(?), Captain Haddock. The different sides to his character provide great moments of levity; the perfect antidote to the mostly straight faced but kind hearted, Tintin. Other notable actors lend their voices to the film; Daniel Craig sinks his teeth into the role of the antagonist (Playing against type has never been so much fun!), and the double team of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are well cast but possibly under used as the hapless Thompson twins.
Spielberg will impress his audience with the inventive plot and a fantastic cast delivering great performances but does the technology suit the structure of a Tintin story? The answer is a definite YES! Motion capture has moved on since films like 'The Polar Express' and at times during this movie, you will find yourself forgetting you're watching a cartoon. The element of 3D that is offered as opposed to the two-dimensional format (well worth the extra money) compliments the motion capture and has some of the most impressive use of this new format you will ever see. Notice how you can see dust floating in the air and can almost feel the blast of explosions. There are several action scenes that make best use of the 3D involving an edge of your seat, riveting, roller-coaster ride of a chase.(But I don't want to give too much away).
The direction of the film is superb with Spielberg masterfully crafting an engrossing 2 hour old school action adventure movie, with heart, for audiences of every age by including enough stunning use of 3D/motion capture, sticking a few self-referential jokes here and there and most important of all, making it a fun, enjoyable film that will bring a smile to anybody watching. It is not an overlong film and ends just as it may begin to outstay it's welcome by leaving the door open for an inevitable sequel. Peter Jackson... Take the director's chair and try to beat this. Spielberg is back!