Review

Review Date: 25-December-11
Spoiler Rating: Low
Juju Judgment: Juicy

The Adventures of Tintin (2011)

Those (probably American) viewers who go into The Adventures of Tintin without being familiar with the source material will need only a few minutes to see why Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson were eager to bring the concept to the big screen. Based on a series of Belgian comic books from the last century, this is a passport to adventure, faraway lands, and another time (yay: they preserved the 1930s setting!) which makes you want to kick back with some chocolate-covered raisins (or jujubes, of course). Spielberg, as director, appears to enjoy the freedom of the movie's wonderfully vivid animation, which is realistic enough that you feel you could walk up and greet the characters, yet artistic enough to maintain that fantastical sense you might get from a comic book. Although I craved more time getting to know the hero, as often happens with openers to intended series, I think I would like to walk up and greet Tintin, a plucky reporter with a distinctive orange cowlick and the voice of Jamie Bell. (I certainly would like to meet his faithful dog Snowy, on whom I now have an imaginary-pet crush.) Beginning with a model ship bought from a sidewalk vendor, the action moves from Europe to the Near East and back again and involves a pirate of sorts (Daniel Craig) who abducts Tintin while settling an ancient score and searching for lost treasure.

The movie's only sour note is Tintin's human sidekick. The key to the treasure hunt lies with the seagoing Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis), a character from the original comic who hasn't aged well. He fits the laughable-drunk stereotype which is now considered off-color but was common movie fodder in Tintin's time. (For laughs, I much prefer the kooky, look-alike policemen who pop up at intervals and are voiced by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.) Tintin keeps the captain at his side despite his unreliability and thereby leads him to the trough of self-respect. I don't want to knock redemption and all, but I hope Tintin teams with a fellow adventurer instead of a sot if Peter Jackson directs the sequel as planned.

Copyright © 2011 The Jujube (M. I. Kim). All rights reserved.