A Complicated Take on Simplicity

Rating: 4/10 (9 May 2012)

It was a pity that the unbelievably realistic animation couldn't salvage a plot so rapid that it was barely digestible. That can be difficult to tolerate at the best of times let alone during a big screen version of an old school comic renowned for its simplicity.
With the likes of Spielberg and Jackson at the helm, I expected something a bit more compelling. The whole production felt pretentious, shoving so much in terms of its convoluted story and advanced animation style down the throat in order to seemingly detract from the fact that the plot line was ultimately quite ordinary with a plethora of plot holes. I do feel sorry for younger viewers who wouldn't have a clue what the heck is going on for the majority of the film. Admittedly, I didn't.
All the same, the plus point was unquestionably the animation which was a descendant of other decadal animated film landmarks such as Toy Story and Shrek. You would have been forgiven for thinking that this was a live action movie at times such was how realistic the animation was. Certainly kudos to technology, but we do need to draw a line between animation and live action. After all, the pull of a cartoon comes from the animation itself.
You always try to derive good, tame fun out of these animated flicks, even if the story didn't quite stack up and the voice acting certainly did that for me. Although there were times I could scarcely understand what Andy Serkis as Captain Haddock was blabbering on about in that strong Scottish burr, that was really the charm of his performance. I would also campaign for a spin-off Thompson and Thompson film with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost doing the honours. They vastly entertained as a comic duo (not for the first time) and did so in a kid's setting on this occasion rather than the more mature set up we are used to seeing them. I bet that sort of movie, which would barely need half a decent story, would fare much better than this with all audiences.
I definitely wonder, is this the Tintin that Hergé envisaged, even if a 21st century iteration? In all honestly, it does not seem to be. There were so many aspects to be admired, but admired for what reason?