MOVIE REVIEW – The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn

The pride of Belgium has come a long way.

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn

Directed by Steven Spielberg
Screenplay by Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish
Based on The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé.
Starring Jamie Bell (Tintin), Andy Serkis (Captain Haddock), Simon Pegg (Inspector Thompson), Nick Frost (Inspector Thomson), Daniel Craig (Ivanovich Sakharine), Toby Jones (Silk), Kim Stengel (Bianca Castafiore)

107 minutes


First off: Great snakes, was that splendid!

Let it be said that I never expected to see that dame of dames, the Milanese Nightingale Bianca Castafiore bleating her shrill soprano Jewel Song on a mammoth IMAX screen. Of all the things to inspire true fanboy awe, this is surely one of the strangest and most unexpected spectacles to unhinge a human jaw. Even I was surprised by my own gleeful reaction. Such is Tintin fandom, I suppose. I joined in his exploits around age 12 on a family vacation with King Ottokar’s Sceptre (coincidentally the diva’s debut). Dig around enough and you may even find photographic record of my attempts to mimic Tintin’s signature swoop, if not that same ginger hue. The franchise has made the leap to live action and animation before, but there’s still something joyously absurd about seeing these characters on the big screen with these kinds of names and technologies attached. I say all this only to reflect on the pleasures of adaptation and sharing a favorite thing with a wider audience. It’s not vindication because that isn’t needed or even wanted. It’s not that the source demands a bigger format, because those books work perfectly fine as they are and I still cherish those big floppy paperbacks. That said, I’d be lying if I said this whole thing wasn’t tremendously grand in a way those original graphic albums never will be. Make no mistake. This is an amusement park on screen. And that’s appropriately amusing.

Do yourself a favor and spring for the 3D screening if that’s viable. If the effect ends up bothering you in the IMAX version, you can even discard the glasses. The print is undistorted and indistinguishable from its 2D counterpart from the naked eye. But if you can stick with the 3D, you’ll be treated to some truly astonishing visuals from the word go.

It all opens with a charming animated title sequence that lovingly reproduces some of Tintin’s greatest moments in print. We follow silhouettes of the young adventurer and his faithful dog Snowy through chases and even a brawl or two. The typography used in this segment will be instantly recognizable to anyone who’s ever browsed Tintin book covers. Because the main story also hurls you right into the start of a new adventure, this bit also helps to establish the type of scrapes and adventures the guy finds himself in as a renowned journalist/adventurer. That sorted, we join him at an open air market, posing for a caricaturist who looks an awful lot like a particular Belgian cartoonist. Soon, he finds himself haggling over a seemingly ordinary though highly sought-after model ship. It’s this little antique that leads our hero into a perilous chase and the audience into a wildly entertaining ride.

It’s bright and joyous and everything you could want from a wide-eyed adventure film. Except, perhaps, for a love story. Then, Tintin never was much of a bodice-ripper like other romancers of the stone. Look at him more as a chaste Indiana Jones. Or better yet, Superman given unto Jimmy Olsen’s form and vocation. He doesn’t have much game, but he’s valiant and pretty handy with a sidearm.

If there’s any frustration with early sections of the film, it’s that Tintin spends a great deal of time talking to himself. Technically he’s addressing his dog, but even that explanation wares a little thin after a while. It’s typical of the character to talk out his curiosities in the comics, but it becomes wholly apparent here that the screenwriters might’ve been thrilled if Snowy were capable of speech (in the comics, he often voices his concerns and asides in Garfield style thought balloons). Tintin does a lot of deduction in the first act, and it’s a relief when he finally adds some human companions to his party. The monologuing is a minor concern though, so don’t misconstrue the note as diatribe against Tintin and Snowy as a duo on their own. Because their interaction serves as the heart of the story.

Tintin and Snowy share the kind of dynamic Charlie Brown has longed to cultivate with his own dog. Of course that hope’s as futile as making contact with the elusive football. And like Snoopy, this tenacious terrier is secretly the most courageous and intelligent member of his ensemble, typically a step or two ahead of even his capable pet journalist. Dog lovers will be taken with Snowy unflinching loyalty and affection for Tintin as he races snoutlong into danger and solves the occasional riddle. There’s a moment when Haddock and Snowy are lowering themselves into the water in a lifeboat to escape a hostile ship. Tintin’s still in the clutches of the enemy. Spielberg takes a moment to focus on the little dog’s face, and there’s a mix of panic and despondency there. It’s one of the many reasons this filmmaking style really gels with the demands of the source material.

The dog Charlie Brown always dreamed of.

I’d never been much a fan of this live action/animation hybrid I typically call Zemeckiscope. It’s that whole uncanny valley thing that makes Asian pleasure robots so horrendously chilling. If there’s anything good to be said of Cameron’s Avatar, it’s that he manages to sidestep the issue by depicting catlike aliens and not faux humans with the technology. Same deal for Gollum in Lord of the Rings and Ceasar in Rise of the Planet of the Apes. It’s worked in these instances because it isn’t trying to suggest Homo sapien with something that clearly isn’t. By that tack, shouldn’t this project, bustling as it is with rotoscoped human characters, be closer to the less favorable Polar Express end of the spectrum? As it turns out, Spielberg, Jackson and their talented team make a good case for the technique. For one, their humans are caricatures in the vein of Herge’s own cartooning. Big jowls and beaky noses abound. But they also strike a tone quite appropriate to the source material made possible only through this animation hybrid.

Restricted to live action, Spielberg simply couldn’t have imbued the film with the cartoon logic and suspension of disbelief required for many sequences and jokes to work as they do. Part of this has to do with performances. You just don’t get a dog as expressive or acrobatic as Snowy in live action. We also might not accept his level of guile and comprehension unless his fellow cast is just as heightened to cartoon exaggeration. There’s also some pretty sensational set pieces and the shots needed to capture them that simply aren’t feasible in the real world. Alternatively, full-on animation probably wouldn’t inspire the same kind of gravity provided by such lifelike movement, dramatic lighting, and photo-real textures.

While the audience at my screening was disappointingly small and subdued, I don’t know that a full and enthusiastic theater would’ve elicited riotous laughter either. It’s a fun romp of a movie with some meticulous sight gags and humor, but there aren’t really any jokes quite so strong as, say, Indiana Jones shooting the swordsman in Raiders. Still, the film rarely permits boredom to rear its ugly head, as those 107 minutes are jam-packed with one insane action set piece after another. The first act consists mainly of shadowy intrigue, but eventually Tintin hits the high seas. From there on out, it’s an absolute roller coaster. Shootouts, explosions, plane crashes. The highlight is a ridiculously impressive marketplace chase consisting of one long and complicated ‘camera shot.’ It’s practically worth the price of admission on its own.

Blue. Blistering. Barnacles.

I’ve yet to mention Andy Serkis’ boisterous, pitch-perfect performance as Haddock. He’s Popeye if Popeye abandoned spinach for liquid courage. You may have to make some allowances for Haddock’s tendency to solve plot problems with liquor induced delusions and moments of clarity, but the screenwriters do well to establish that the character has a very special relationship with alcohol.

Tob Jones offers another standout performance as a meek and troubled pick-pocket called Silk. The scene in his apartment with the perfectly idiotic Thomson and Thompson isn’t the most exhilarating moment in the film, but it’s certainly one of the funniest. As for Daniel Craig as the sword-cane wielding antagonist, he plays it perfectly straight. More of a stern Indy villain than a scene-chewing Bond rogue. And though I was initially disappointed when Love Actually’s Thomas Sangster had to drop out of his role as Tintin, Jamie Bell does Herge proud. He comes off pure of heart but by no means a puss. We believe that Tintin can do what he does with a single bullet, and though he may not be as charismatic as Harrison Ford, he’s a charming and dauntless hero.

Arguably the best Spielberg film since J.J. Abrams’ Super 8The Secret of the Unicorn is a sprawling and wondrous film, rife with madcap action and downright silly pratfalls. Whether you’ve long thrilled to the comic exploits of Belgium’s favorite son or never knew the lad before the trailer hit, it’s a thrilling and spectacle from start to finish.

4.5 Stars

(Out of 5)

 

 

Comments

  1. If I don’t like the comic Tintin, could this still be enjoyable for me?

    • Do you mean you haven’t read Tintin or you’ve read it and don’t like it? If it’s the latter, you can expect the same tone and look of the comics. Other than that it’s hard to say because I’m not sure what aspect of the books turned you off.

    • Read it and didn’t like it.

      I don’t know what specifically turned me off, either, so maybe I should just avoid it to be safe…

    • Safe from what? Its a movie. Either you’ll like it or you won’t. Your world is hardly going to end.

    • To be safe from not liking it.

      Thank you for pointing out the obvious, though, that’s always so helpful.

  2. Will there be a special edition podcast Paul?

  3. Great review. Glad your finally getting to experience it in the US. I went to it twice and was blown away. The second time I was shocked by the sheer amount of Easter eggs in every frame. A great movie and a great adaptation.

  4. I’ve seen it four times since it came out in the UK. One of my favourite movies this year; although, the three times in 2D were far superior to the one in 3D.

  5. Great review but I don’t agree very much, I’m afraid. You can check out my full (though much shorter) review at my blog (http://ilanpreskovsky.blogspot.com/2011/12/adventures-of-tintin-secret-of-unicorn.html) if you’re interested in an alternate take on the film.

  6. Oh man, it’s out now? Thought I was going to have to wait till Friday…

    I don’t have too much much experience with the Tintin comic, but I loved loved LOVED the cartoon series that they used to show here on Nick. In fact, it would probably be on a list of my top 5 favorite Nick shows. It’s the epitome of adventure, with TONS of plot and twists thrown in. Such rich stories.

    • Loved the cartoons. There’s also a feature length version of at least one. That ended up on Cartoon Network if memory serves.

    • @Paul: Most of the books were told over two episodes. When you have a two book story it means you’d get a 90 minute adaptation. There was also an animated movie called Tintin and the Lake of Sharks. Even though it wasn’t based on any book its still worth a watch.

    • Yes, Lake of the Sharks. It’s got the shark sub from Red Rackham’s Treasure!

  7. Im not a big animated movie person… but this has really sparked my interest over the last coupla months.. Im thinking Indiana Jones style adventure.

  8. Alright! That’s what I wanted to hear! For someone I don’t really know, Paul’s opinion carries tremendous weight for me on some things, and this was one specific opinion I have been eager to hear.

    I had plans to see this tonight with the one friend of mine who has ever heard of Tintin, but the the theater we wanted to go to was ONLY showing it in 3D, which I hate. We have opted for Sherlock Holmes instead. However, if Paul puts this much stock in the 3D aspect, I’ll take his word for it. Very excited!

    Paul, we need a podcast, whether Special Edition here or of the Fuzzy Typewriter variety!

    • I’m not sure if there’s a difference in IMAX 3D and regular 3D aside from scale. But if it’s anything like my IMAX screening, you can ditch the glasses if you find yourself uncomfortable with it. The screen looked normal to me with no distortion or blurriness. I’m not a proponent for 3D in most cases either, but I do tend to enjoy it in animated films. This one implemented the 3D effects pretty well.

  9. A very good adaptation, indeed. Enjoyed it quite a bit.

  10. I’m so glad you liked it. Can’t wait to see it myself.

  11. I really, really, really want to see this movie, but with a newborn in the household, going to the movies is not really on the plate. I’ll have to check this out on Blu-ray.

  12. Myown experience of Tintin goes back to around the age of 6 or 7 as it was the only real graphic type book you could get from the library (along with Asterix), so I entered the movie with some trepidation particularly as I’d have to agree this style of moviemaking has never worked. Always gives the actors a kind of deadness in the eyes. I thought it struck just the perfect balance between love of the source and delivering a movie with enough relentless momentum that it could carry modern audiences with it. And my 9 yr old has never been convinced to crack open a Tintin book but loved every second (unlike Hugo which the little philistine says he really didn’t like at all!)

    • I was surprised that “Hugo” was based on a children’s book. “Hugo” makes for a great film, but as I watched it, I thought it would bore most kids under 12 or 13.

  13. I was first introduced to Tintin in the pages of “Children’s Digest” when I was in Junior High. My parents gave me a subscription for Christmas and kept it up for several years. Tintin’s adventures were cut up into 8-10 page installments (not the best way to read them) in each month’s digest, but it was easy to get hooked. A few years later, the local library got a donation/gift of about a dozen of the English translations, so i could finally see the characters in color and the size they had been intended to be seen.

    I’m not a big fan of this particular style of animation, but agree from the trailers that it might be the perfect way to bring Herge’s creation to the big screen. I’m hoping to catch it in Imax sometime over the holidays.

  14. I did not expect it to like it as much as I did…

  15. I too remember the cartoons on NICK and I loved them! It was such a weird mix of not-talking-down-to-you story with guns and everything juxtaposed with a boy and his dog!

  16. I had never heard of Tin Tin, but saw the film last night and thought it was excellent. If any animated movie can break Pixar’s grip on the best animated film Oscar, “Tin Tin” could do it. This is a much better action adventure film in every way than the horrendous “Mission Impossible 4.” “Tin Tin” actually has character, good dialogue and a strong plot. As actors, the animated characters are, well, more animated, than a live Tom Cruise has ever been.