Non-Stop Fun Makes "Tin-Tin" a Winner

Rating: 9/10 (31 December 2011)

I'll first admit that I knew very little about Tin Tin going in, and have never read any of the stories - therefore, I am reviewing this strictly as a standalone film and not as an adaptation.
Spielberg's latest (aside from "War Horse") is nothing but carefree fun and excitement from start to finish, never waning or dragging its feet - a true roller-coaster ride. The film is basically a series of clues leading to a series of chases and cliffhangers, all perfectly laced with moments of humor and whimsy, making for a concoction that both children and adults can enjoy. The mystery itself is not all that interesting, but it is told with such vigor and spectacle that you don't really notice or care (and if you do, you're watching it for the wrong reasons). The film is simply meant to entertain - as pure as adventure can get, and nobody knows how to film an adventure story quite like Steven Spielberg. His trademark uses of lighting and clever transitions are all present, and the look and feel of the film all has a familiar tone (reminiscent of the Indiana Jones films most obviously).
As far as looks are concerned, the film is gorgeous, and probably the best motion-capture rendering to date (in that the entire film is motion-captured; I am not comparing this to "Avatar"). The colors pop, the 3D is adequate, and the characters and settings are so lifelike they sometimes looked real - I never saw any of the infamous soullessness that the motion-capture method has become stigmatized with. Simply put: a visual feast. The actors do a great job as well, delivering their lines with gusto and an optimistic innocence missing from most films today; the artists did a fantastic job capturing their subtleties and mannerisms.
John Williams also delivers a suitable, spirited score (although not particularly original: a blend of "Catch Me If You Can" and the Indiana Jones theme).
Overall, the film was a blast - a good old fashioned adventure romp with no real consequences or depth, but simple and pure. Some have labeled it as forgettable, which I couldn't disagree more. As I said earlier, the story itself is not particularly gripping, but the style in which it is told paired with the impressive animation and thrilling, roller-coaster-like action set pieces is what makes "Tin-Tin" something I could watch over and over again.
If I did not address issues other reviewers have highlighted, that is because I do not find fault in them. If you can't have fun at this film then you've lost, as Tin-Tin would say, your thirst for adventure.