Review: The Adventures of Tintin

When I was a kid, it was always a treat for us when my dad would check out a Tintin comic book from the library to share with my sister and me (yes, even in the '80s, Austin Public Library had Tintin books). The Belgian comic series by Hergé, about a "boy" reporter named Tintin, was action-packed, and populated with strange and funny characters. When I heard that these comics were being animated for film, I was excited about the prospect, and worried that the movie could not match up to the books.

Under the helm of Steven Spielberg, who had tried to grab the film rights to Tintin while Hergé was still alive, The Adventures of Tintin captures the essence and spirit of the comic, while hopefully introducing the series to many new fans. The film is 3D, although I am sure it would be just as pleasant to watch in 2D. The backdrops are vast and gorgeously-rendered. Through the film's use of motion-capture animation, the characters have been humanized, to an extent. Their overall look remains true to Hergé's original drawings (a Hergé-like figure even makes a cameo in the first scene).

This first film is based on The Secret of the Unicorn. Tintin (Jamie Bell) buys a model ship and discovers a clue hidden within. He has a run-in with Sakharine (Daniel Craig), who badly wants the clue which leads to treasure. While captured and placed on a boat by Sakharine, Tintin meets Captain Haddock (the brilliant as ever Andy Serkis). They fly a plane, walk the Sahara, and more, all in their search for the treasure of Haddock's ancestor.

I can't neglect to mention dog Snowy, always one of my favorite characters in the comics. In The Adventures of Tintin, he does things that the humane society would never allow a real dog to attempt on film, and is a wonder to watch. He serves as a perfect foil for earnest Tintin and loopy Captain Haddock. The dotty duo of Thomson (Nick Frost) and Thompson (Simon Pegg), investigators lukewarm on the trail of a pickpocket, add a lot to the comedy of the film.

While you can certainly take children to The Adventures of Tintin, I wouldn't classify this film as a kid's movie. I'd say it's more of a general action/adventure film that happens to be animated. It's a lot like an early Indiana Jones film, if Indy had a drunk sea captain and loyal dog as companions and said things like "Great snakes!" Still, one lady in our row told her friend while filing out of the theatre that this was the first kid's movie in a long time that she had enjoyed.

Things worth noting: While our preview screening didn't include any trailers, word on the street is that the first trailer for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey will show before Tintin. Also, the open ending of The Adventures of Tintin had my sister speculating that this will be the next story in the film series.