Well-crafted homage

Rating: 8/10 (5 March 2012)

Picasso said 'Good artists borrow, great artists steal." There's a lot of borrowing in this film. When, the opening credits rolled on Tin Tin, I inwardly groaned. John William's score and the title sequence were a rip-off of 'Catch Me If You Can'. Spielberg's own rip-off of 1960's title sequences.
Spielberg (and Williams) repeat themselves in this movie, but there is enough that is new and fresh to save the day. If you remind yourself that this movie is intended for an audience that may not have seen all the clichés that are used, it is quite a good movie.
First and foremost, the animation is stunning. It manages to cut a line between comic book and realism that is fresh without feeling contrived. Your mind's eye comfortably settles into this world. The effects are subtle and effective. The back of a hand morphs into a desert dune. A desert dune morphs into an ocean wave, all beautifully done.
The story incorporates 3 Tin Tin books in rather seamless fashion. The core relationship, that between Tin Tin and Captain Haddock (both beautifully voiced by Jamie Bell and Andy Serkis) rings true.
John William's score, while cutting no new ground, serves this adventure as well as the score in Indiana Jones. In fact, there is not a lot to separate them.
But if you forgive these gents from repeating themselves and look at the film with new eyes, it's really a very fine and entertaining work. Seen it before? Yes. Seen it done better? Not really.