What do you expect when you get to know that Steven Spielberg is
directing a movie produced by Peter Jackson based on one of the best
selling and most popular comic book character of all times? A Lot Right?
That's exactly where the movie suffers. Too many expectations and too
little to offer. Though in any other case, the movie could have been a
pretty good watch. But when you hear names like SS and PJ, you don't
want a pretty good watch. You want a kick ass movie and this is not one
of those. Superb Motion Capture Animation does not compensate for a
pretty straightforward plot and lack of excitement in the storyline. A
One Time watch for the tintin fans especially if you are under 10, Avoid
otherwise.
Tintin, as most would be aware is one of the
largest selling comic book series in the world. This movie is a
combination of three comic books called The Crab with the Golden Claws,
The Secret of the Unicorn and Red Rackham's Treasure. TinTin buys a
replica of a ship drowned three hundred years ago by some pirates. But
someone wants to take it from him. The ship replica is actually one of
the three identical ships which hold clues to a treasure sunk in the
ocean. The movie has a few subplots but the main storyline revolves
around tintin's adventures in search of the hidden treasure with his dog
snowy and captain haddock.
Let me clarify one thing here,
that i have neither read any of the comic books nor am i fan of the
series. So i am only giving my views on the basis of the movie itself
and has nothing to do with the franchise itself. So, actual tintin fans
might notice a few details, which i was not in any position to
comprehend. Now Coming to the good part first. The Animation in the
movie (actually called motion capture, where real life actors shoot a
sequence and then animated characters are superimposed later on ) is one
of the best i have ever seen. Its almost as if you are watching a live
action movie rather than animation. The characters are life like and
expressions are just about perfect. There are a couple of sequences
which provide that edge of the seat excitement and have that 'OMG
appeal'. Captain Haddock and the Thomson twins are quite funny in parts.
But,
that's where the good part ends. The movie does not live up to the
excitement created by a tintin adventure. Its comes across as just
another Pirates of the carribean with motion capture animation. There
are a couple of scenes which are exciting but are far and few. You keep
waiting for something adventurous to happen, it takes place for 30
seconds and you again wait for around 20 minutes for the next 30
seconds. The movie does not provide a roller coaster ride, you expect
out of an 'adventure' movie. There are hardly any suspense or thriller
points scored. The not great 3D effects don't do any good to the movie
as well. It just doesn't seem like its directed by SS. Though SS has
done its job, its the script and lack of overall excitement that leaves
the audience yawning for a pretty reasonable length of the movie.
Overall:
Watchable, if you are a tintin fan or are under 10 years of age. But
doesn't offer any OMG factor especially when you hear names by SS and PJ
Feel-O-Meter: 5/10