Film: The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
Stars: Jamie Bell, Andy Serkis & Daniel Craig
Director: Steven Spielberg
Based on three different Tintin books The Crab With The Golden Claws, The Secret Of The Unicorn and Red Rackham’s Treasure. Tintin follows the adventure of Tintin (Jamie Bell) the journalist and his sidekicks Snowy and Captain Archibald Haddock (Andy Serkis).
Going into the film I was hoping for a Steven Spielberg does Toy Story, a film the kids will love and with a sense of happiness for adults. This I have to say is not what I got from the film. Kids may love the film, adults I am afraid will not.
Straight from the opening credits you are enlighted to what the whole film will be about: action over substance. This film is Steven Spielberg’s first attempt at doing animation, and never stops to give you a breather, jumping from scene to scene of action. You will feel like you’re watching Indiana Jones for kids.
The story itself finds Tintin working with Captain Haddock the booze driven alcoholic (the perfect example for all kids) on the adventure to find Captain Haddock’s family treasure, through adventure after adventure, mishap after mishap. I am not going to beat round the bush here and proclaim I loved it, yes the film looks amazing in 3d and begins with a very witty opening, to introduce our main star here. Truth be told, I found myself starting to fall asleep around the half hour to three quarters of a hour mark in the film. Only the lady behind me, who seemed to have the bladder of a mouse, pulling on the back of my chair to pull herself up kept me awake.
No substance and hit and miss characters is the name of the game. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost just never seemed to get going, while Daniel Craig playing Sakharine again just left me annoyed. Jamie bell gives his all to bring life into Tintin, while Serkis brings the comedy to the show, all be it the same jokes over and over again. Snowy the dog drawing the biggest laughs in my book.
If what you are after here is something to amuse the kids while you sleep, I would say this is the film for you, while you sit there texting away (not that I would ever condone that inside a cinema). As my first review for this site, I was determined to bring you a review of a great film. Low and behold the first film, I have the privilege of bringing you is what I can only say is a load of rubbish and something that I could not keep my eyes on or my head wanting to be involved in.
2/5 stars
By Lucas Bettles