CHRIS DAVIS REVIEWS... I didn't quite know if I should place this review under "Animated Movies," or "Comic Book Movies," but obviously went with the animated. I guess, in the end, it doesn't really matter since the film fits both categories. Anyway, without further ado, here is my review of "The Adventures of Tintin."
When I started the film, all I could think about was "Why am I watching this movie?" Only a few minutes into the film, my thoughts turned to "Why am I enjoying this movie?" Then later, "Why do I LOVE this movie?" followed by a "Why the hell am I not ashamed for loving this movie?"
The film, as a whole, is an epic adventure tale of intrepid reporter, Tintin, his adorable, unnaturally intelligent and brave dog, Snowy, along with a drunk sea captain, on a journey to find a long lost treasure, while being chased around by an irritating little man, and his stupid bird. In a "Chris Davis" nutshell, that's the plot we've been given, and while it does sound a bit ridiculous, I think that's the whole point behind why this film was so awesome.
Steven Moffat penned the film, with Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson serving as producers. An odd pair to say the least, especially for an animated film, but when it all came down to it, they truly delivered what has got to be one of my favorite movies this year (even though this was released in 2011, I only saw it today).
The entire film served as a breath of fresh air, since I have never been so enthralled with a film and its characters, like I was here. I think the animation had something to do with it -- everyone looked so real, yet cartoon-y, and it brought my mind back to a childish place, while still allowing me to analyze the film from an adult -- well... young adult's point of view. That sense of diversity is rarely seen nowadays, and the uniqueness of the film alone made it a success, not to mention the fantastic writing, pacing, and story.
The character of Tintin, I felt, was an exceptional protagonist. I found myself really caring about this guy. When he was in danger, mind you, that was like, three-fourths of the film, I had my palms up to my eyes, praying that he'd make it out alive, even though there was about a whole hour left of the film and surely the remaining length couldn't go by without him. That's just how grand a connection there was between the characters and the audience. Well, at least, for me.
God, even the dog had some depth to him. Aside from me being a huge dog-lover, I can honestly say that Snowy was his own character right from the start. He didn't speak, yet we could sense his emotions and attitudes whenever he was on screen.
I really love the attention to detail with the animation. It brought the film to a whole new level for me, and I was quite shocked by how flawless and real some of the actions and movements were. I'm getting away from the writing side of this film a bit, but I've got to hand it to the animation team -- they really nailed it.
As for the action sequences in this film -- were they believable? Not really. But it's animated fun, and I wouldn't expect anything too realistic out of it. I enjoyed this aspect of the movie a lot, and each movement served a purpose. The sequences themselves didn't drag out for too long, but were just right.
Okay, I'm being too nice. Need to find some things I didn't like about the film. (Thinks... extremely hard) For once, I have nothing to say in the realm of negativity. Not saying this film was "PERFECT," but nothing bad or even close to bad stood out when watching the movie.
If I were to mention something, it would be those two idiot policemen, but they, in their own right, added a certain humorous touch to the film that wouldn't be the same had they not been present.
All in all, this movie was very entertaining. The plot, backstory and characters were all there. Top notch animation and a crystal clear direction and vision. The flow was great, and I haven't really been able to sit back, relax, and enjoy a movie, in a long time. Here, I was pleasantly surprised by the movie. I'd give this film a
9/10. Most definitely worth a watch!