A roller-coaster ride on a theatre seat.

Rating: 9/10 (8 January 2012)

Spielberg has always been the master of using the locale extensively - a fact subtly demonstrated by the ripples-in-the-water-glass scene in Jurassic Park. In a film by Steven Spielberg, the surroundings are rarely allowed to go wasted; almost everything is put to use in one way or the other, making the movie more vibrant and lifelike - as if the objects in the film have life themselves. Tintin follows this precedent. The Adventures of Tintin too involves the ardoit usage of the environs - may it be the falcon chase sequence or even the battle with the cranes. This trademark move appears succinctly in places, giving it a distinct Spielberg-ian feel and making Tintin another feather in his fedora.
Doing justice to the character created by Herge', Tintin (Jamie Bell) remains the bland, ageless adventurer that he originally was. A miniature, antique ship is broken in his apartment. He meets the villain Ivanovich Sakharine (Daniel Craig) in a dilapidated bungalow and chances upon another ship of similar make. Tintin's sense of adventure leads him deeper into the mysterious abyss and only when a man is shot at his door do the dangers of the situation dawn upon him. Never being one to shirk from trouble, he delves head-first into the adventure as he, Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis) and his dog, Snowy, are tossed from the land to the sea to the Sahara, into a farrago of pickpockets, detective lookalikes, an overambitious antagonist, an inebriated captain and Unicorns, all in a quest to find a sunken treasure and resolve vendettas that have returned to haunt from the dead.
This beautiful film reiterates why I hold well-made animated films so close to my heart. Animated movies, almost always, are filled with exuberance, joy and life. Rarely do they allow ennui to creep into your heart. With it witty punchlines, affable characters and adrenaline- pounding action-adventure sequences, Tintin the movie brings forth such excitement that is rarely displayed in movies. Through the interplay of bright colours, an overwhelming soundtrack and ebullient demeanour, it takes you to the point of wanting to jump and cheer the protagonist through this arduous journey.
Tintin precisely captures what an adventure means. Similar to the Indiana Jones movies, it doesn't tax your grey-cells by keeping the plot very basic instead. But the hardships the protagonists have to undergo to accomplish that goal keep the movie ticking, and make it so appealing. Tintin gets chased by a vicious dog, chases a falcon, flies an airplane, gets shot at - but keeps trudging along. By not delving into various intricacies in an attempt to superficially deepen the plot, the movie keeps the real Tintin alive - light-hearted, simple and pure fun - and it has been a while since we saw such films.
The target audience of the film isn't entirely clear, because it works well for everyone. Grey-heads who lived in the Tintin comic-book age will pounce upon the opportunity to revel in the nostalgia, while children, who have no idea of who Tintin is whatsoever, will also be equally delighted by the introduction they are provided with him. Very rare movies are able to accomplish the extraordinary feat of holding a natural appeal to people of all ages, so Tintin does score points here.
All the characters have been portrayed in a remarkable manner. Add to this the fact that they have been created by some of the most lifelike animation I have seen in recent years. Tintin is spot on; sharp as a whip, brave in the face of danger and persistent. The innocuous detective twins, Thomson and Thompson (Nick Frost and Simon Pegg), are classic comic characters; they unwittingly get involved into things of gigantic proportions without having a clue of what's happening. They are naive to the point of being nincompoops and the acts they commit under the impression of mistakes accounts for plenty of smiles, if not outright laughter. Sakharine is the perfect Tintin nemesis - evil, for difficult to despise - just as the villains of children's' movies are meant to be. Captain Haddock, however, steals the spotlight. This Captain and his alcohol-addled brain make a bold impression, one stronger than Tintin himself, bringing back memories of the original character. A Haddock always remains a Haddock, even if he is brought back to life after years of virtual non-existence.
Mr. Spielberg does nothing wrong in the film, yet it doesn't come across as extremely strong. This is the kind of film that you can watch hundreds of times for the very reason because of which it loses out, though slightly - the lack of complexities. It is too simple - a hunt for a treasure being the oldest trick in the book. However, Tintin isn't James Bond. He was always meant to be the soft-spoken, almost effiministic ideator, and that is how the world likes him.