A reasonably satisfying, fast-paced romp for all ages

Rating: 7/10 (12 August 2012)

Since 1929, 'The Adventures of Tintin' by Belgian artist Hergé has been delighting children and adults alike with its bold, unique visuals and engaging stories of adventure, global intrigue and mystery. The exploits of this wide-eyed, globe-trotting reporter and his lovable pooch Snowy, have been translated in over 50 languages and adapted into every conceivable medium. Perhaps the most popular incarnation of the character was the animated series produced in 1991 by Canadian entertainment company Nelvana. For this reviewer, it was a staple of after school television viewing – it closely replicated Hergé's signature style and had some pretty spot-on voice acting and music.
When it was announced in May 2007 that master filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson would be collaborating on a 3D animated film based on the beloved comic strip, it quickly became one of the most anticipated films in recent Hollywood history. But when the November 2010 issue of Empire Magazine released the first production stills from Spielberg/Jackson's TINTIN, I was shocked. The characters – Tintin, Snowy and their rarely sober companion Captain Haddock – looked like they had just disembarked from THE POLAR EXPRESS. They were dead-eyed, creepy and uncannily lifelike. Hergé's distinctive texture and style seemed absent altogether. I adore Spielberg and Jackson but this left me wishing that a traditional animator like Sylvian Chomet (THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE, THE ILLUSIONIST) were at the helm of this film. And all those trailers and web documentaries that followed didn't do much to change my opinion that THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN would rank among other fan-boy disappointments such as SPEED RACER and ASTRO BOY.
Thankfully, this reviewer was only partially correct.
From its fun, Saul Bass-inspired opening credits sequence (think Spielberg's CATCH ME IF YOU CAN) to the very last scene, THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN is a reasonably satisfying, fast- paced romp. It may not be as charming or absorbing as RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, but it certainly succeeds in the 'family adventure' sub-genre.
The screenplay by Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish combines elements of 'The Crab and the Golden Claws' (1943), 'The Secret of the Unicorn' and 'Red Rackham's Treasure' (both published in 1945), and reunites KING KONG costars Jamie Bell and Andy Serkis – as Tintin and Captain Haddock, respectively – for an around-the-world adventure for a lost family treasure. Both actors, especially Serkis, the undisputed 'go-to' guy for motion-capture acting, give pretty okay performances and are accompanied by a colorful supporting cast; including Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, who provide welcome comic relief as bumbling detectives Thomson and Thompson, and Daniel Craig, who plays against type as our nefarious villain Ivanovitch Sakharine - who I swear is a self-portrait of Spielberg himself! Sadly Toby Jones, Tony Curran and Gad Elmaleh as Tintin favorites Silk, Lieutenant Delacourt and Omar Ben Salaad are given very little to do.
While the quasi-human designs of the characters will outrage some Hergé purists, this film is undoubtedly another technical achievement for special effects house Weta Digital, who earlier this year gave us the very compelling chimps in that other Serkis vehicle RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES. The animation is detailed and meticulous and certainly improves on what Robert Zemeckis (BEOWULF, A Christmas CAROL) and other pioneers of the format have achieved in the past. Proof of this is the spectacular battle at sea between Haddock and Sakharine's ancestors, Sir Francis Haddock and Red Rackham (also played by Serkis and Craig). This is one of Spielberg's finest action sequences, combining impressive tracking shots and madcap action, with some of the most creative scene transitions ever committed to cinema. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the climactic chase through Morocco. All done in one shot, it is innovative at first, but questionable and tiresome by the end.
There are few nice 'for-the-fans' moments, such as a very clever cameo appearance by Hergé at the beginning of the film. Yet some things may prove a little hurting, such as the absence of the eccentric Professor Calculus (who featured prominently in 'Red Rackham's Treasure') or the memorable scene in 'The Crab and the Golden Claws' when a hallucinating Haddock mistakes our hero for a bottle of grog. Hopefully these will find their way into the sequel, which is set to be directed by Jackson.
So, was it Hergé's Tintin? No. Was it Spielberg's best film? Definitely not. But it is still worth a look!