HERGÉ'S ADVENTURES OF TINTIN!!!
I just couldn't get enough of them. The books were truly the stuff of legend, so colourful, bold and exciting, with the right mix of cartoon, humanity and realism to make this world and its inhabitants so appealing to generations of fans worldwide. As a child, I loved all those amazing adventures of this young, courageous and intelligent reporter Tintin and his loyal dog Snowy as they travelled all over the world - and into outer space, lest we forget! - solving mysteries, thwarting villains and conquering challenges with so many colourful friends like Professor Calculus, Detectives Thomson & Thompson and of course, the irrepressible Captain Haddock.
I never ever thought about a motion picture based on these timeless stories to be honest with you. Yes, there was the absolute quality animated series from the nineties, and I was happy to leave it at that. I mean, Hergé's style was just so vivid and distinctive that it was easy to translate into a cartoon, but much more difficult for a live-action film, and maybe even a CGI-flick as well.
I suppose I didn't want to run the risk of being disappointed by a feature-length Tintin film (no different than any other lifetime fan of the books, really). Which is why when news of Tintin finally hitting the big screen came around, I really didn't know how to take it. I saw a few images, and then I saw the trailer. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen before, so I decided to reserve judgement a little longer until I'd finally checked out the film.
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn is essentially an adaptation of the book of the same name, "The Crab With The Golden Claws" and "Red Rackham's Treasure". Here, our Tintin is a most famous reporter (accompanied by best friend, Snowy) who one day buys a model ship of the Unicron, a famous historical ship. But it isn't long before shadowy individuals are after the model for their own purposes. Tintin must uncover the secret of the model before it falls into the wrong hands, and to do that, he will need the help of a certain old sea captain.
So is it any good? YES, and then some. Directed and produced by movie legends Steven Spielberg (Duel, Jaws, Jurassic Park etc) and Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings & King Kong), this Tintin epic is a true cinematic delight that's worthy of both the name and the creator Hergé. Both Spielberg and Jackson are genuine Tintin fans and it shows throughout. They clearly wanted to remain faithful to the original source material and as such, it is. The setting and characters here are all accurate and true, the story and plot unravels with the grace and intrigue that you would find in any legendary Tintin adventure, and there are so many dollops of wonderful humour, interaction and excitement. Long story cut short, this has the ESSENCE of Tintin.
But the most obvious aspect about The Secret of the Unicorn is unquestionably the animation style. The motion capture technique in completely unlike anything I've ever seen before in cinema or on television. At first, I wasn't sure if I was watching an actual live-action film or a CGI move that easily rivals anything from Pixar! It just blew me away how harmoniously it all blends together. Not only that, the character designs pay true homage to Hergé's original drawings as well! It's pure artistry in how it remains all the more faithful, yet also creates a brand new visioning for this generation.
The voice-cast is inspired, too. Jamie Bell (Tintin) and Andy Serkis (Captain Haddock) are flawless in their roles. You truly believe that they ARE Tintin and Captain Haddock(!), given how distinctive they make their performances. The same can be said for Simon Pegg and Nik Frost who provide the perfect bumbling tones for the incompetent (yet lovable) Thompson twins. Current "James Bond" Daniel Craig also deserves high-marks as well for his sinister & deliciously malevolent role as antagonist Sakharine.
What else is there? The soundtrack is rollicking, the film runs on for just the right length of time (at 102 minutes), the pacing is perfect, and Steven Moffat (of Doctor Who fame!), Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead/Hot Fuzz) & Joe Cornish all deserve props for their screenplay, producing a script that flatters the talents of the voice cast, and Spielberg and Jackson's vision for the film. I don't think I can praise this film enough. It's just an artistic masterpiece with virtually no fault whatsoever.
Extras on this DVD consist of two featurettes; a special behind-the-scenes look at the film's making (with great insight from Spielberg, Jackson, the cast and production staff) and an examination of Snowy (called "The Full Tail") which looks at the characters' original conception, various anecdotes and how the wonderful, little terrier was bought to life for the big screen. Delightful special features indeed to finish things off. And there're English subtitles as well for those who require them.
The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn is one of the best family films to emerge in a long time. Like the original books, like the cartoon series, this is a movie that will appeal to children and adults alike. It has all the heart and soul of Hergé's stories and is hopefully the first of several more quality epics to come.