The Adventures of Tintin
2011 · Directed by Steven Spielberg
Original language: English
- adventure
- animation
- mystery
The story
Intrepid young reporter, Tintin, and his loyal dog, Snowy, are thrust into a world of high adventure when they discover a ship carrying an explosive secret. As Tintin is drawn into a centuries-old mystery, Ivan Ivanovitch Sakharine suspects him of stealing a priceless treasure. Tintin and Snowy, with the help of salty, cantankerous Captain Haddock and bumbling detectives, Thompson and Thomson, travel half the world, one step ahead of their enemies, as Tintin endeavors to find the Unicorn, a sunken ship that may hold a vast fortune, but also an ancient curse.
What it’s like
Bright, hyper-kinetic motion capture with a glossy, sculpted sheen: sunlit Moroccan alleys, sea-spray harbours and gleaming ship decks rendered in saturated ochres, blues and cream, with long virtuoso tracking shots that swoop through markets and rooftops as if the camera were a bird. The score is brass-led and bustling, all galloping strings and jaunty swells that keep the momentum buoyant, with quieter passages of wind and water for the underwater set-pieces. The vibe is playful, breezy, and mischievously old-fashioned, a cheerful serial-adventure feel with a light comic bite. It suits a weekend afternoon with family or a lively comfort rewatch, and it has a warm, slightly fizzy energy that rarely pauses to breathe. Its emotional register stays light, with an easygoing friendship between a quick-minded boy, his loyal dog and a gruff, lovable sailor gradually softening into something like a found family. Action is frequent and cartoonishly exaggerated: chases, gunfire, brawls and a long, tense flight through the air, with some menace and peril but no gore and little real cruelty. It is for viewers who love vintage adventure and gleeful set-pieces, and who want spectacle with a gentle, good-natured heart.
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