From the beginning to end, you're on the edge of your seats. There were quite a few little plotlines that all tied together in the end. It was risky because it could have confused the audience but Steven Spielberg kept it easy to understand. Usually within a story, there is a certain amount of build up where the audience can learn about the characters and setting. However, there was no build up here but it wasn't awkwardly done. However, even as a person who has never read a Tintin book, Steven Spielberg managed to find a way to give plenty of details about Tintin and the other characters through the story. There was nothing awkward about it. It was a complete adventure.
One of the biggest helps in the story too was that there was plenty of humor throughout. With plenty of action and adventure, it might have worked against the audience. However, the humor brought a balance to the story. You'd be laughing even as you're biting your nails in anxiousness. It was a different humor then what is currently popular. Instead of being dark or perverse, it was what I like to call "Old humor". Similar to the "Three Stooges" but also consisted of close calls and funny catchphrases. The audience ate it up though because the theatre was alive with laughter.
One of the things I loved about Tintin was the technology used. The animation was amazing. It was the perfect combination of realism and abstract. Looking back on the movie, I am a hundred percent happy that they did not do the movie as a live action. Some of the sequences in movie could not be done in by using real people and they would have to SGI it which would have been ridiculous and the audience would have hated it. But I'm glad they did not do a full on comic version of the movie either. This is really the perfect balance of the two. While Europe has done many versions of Tintin, both comic and live action, Hollywood has not. This is their first dip into this particular comic and it is beautifully done. They've set the bar high.
Even the marketing plan for this movie is brillant. Usually once a movie is made in Hollywood, it would be released in North America first then Europe. But Tintin was playing for two months in Europe before being shown in America. Perhaps this is a nod to the European roots of Tintin or a brillant marketing scheme. I've heard that movies that do well in America are not always as popular in Europe. I'm not sure why this is, maybe it is due to the difference in societal values. But Tintin was a hit in Europe, only time will tell if it is the same here in North America.
Personally, I loved every moment of it. It brought out the inner child in everyone - adult and teen. The characters were lovable and apparently true to the comics. The actors that portrayed them did an amazing job of bringing them to life. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost were hilarious as Thomson and Thompson. Jamie Bell was a brilliant Tintin. Andy Serkis was a hilarious Captain Haddock. Daniel Craig, played Red Rackham and Ivan Sakharine notoriously. Frankly, Snowy was the unsung hero in my eyes.
This is a movie worth seeing. Whether it is with your friends, family or even on a date - it's a good movie for all.
Stars: 4.5/5
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