“The Adventures of Tintin” is the “Raiders of the Lost Ark” sequel Steven Spielberg might have made if he hadn’t felt the need to keep Shia LaBeouf on the payroll. A rollicking, breezy motion-capture animated romp, Spielberg & Co. have adapted the comic book character Tintin in a way that avoids all that worry about killing stuntmen and all that fuss about obeying the laws of physics.
In this world, datable to the mid-1950s, the freelance journalist and his intrepid dog Snowy are well-known figures with an eye for trouble. And being modestly famous doesn’t keep them out of danger.
One of the great conceits of the Herge comic book this is based on is that Snowy, a white wire fox terrier, is usually a couple of clues ahead of his master. Not being able to talk, Snowy has to wait for Tintin (voiced by Jamie Bell) to figure out that the model sailing ship he bought from a street vendor has a hidden clue in it, a clue to the lost treasure of that very ship — the Unicorn.
A pushy American wants the model, as does a conniving professor type (Daniel Craig). Before Tintin can figure out why, bullets are flying and he, the dog and a sea captain (Andy Serkis) are on the run, off on the search for clues. Daring escapes from a freighter, a seaplane and a chase by tank will conjure up fond memories of “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” And the dog brings to mind “Wallace and Gromit.”
Co-writer Edgar Wright’s (“Shaun of the Dead”) biggest contribution may have been landing his pals Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as the voices of matching Interpol inspectors who help Tintin.
The gunplay may be plentiful, but the oaths are goofy and mild (“Great snakes!”). The bursts of drunken ineptitude from Captain Haddock and action beats that remind one of everything from “Pirates of the Caribbean” to Indiana Jones’ greatest hits don’t obscure what is, at its heart, a ripping good adventure yarn.
Spielberg, with producer Peter Jackson, pushes the animation beyond its “Polar Express” origins and into something livelier, though the faces still lack the plasticity you’d like out of this art form.
But this opening adventure of Tintin makes one hope that there’s a future in this franchise and that there are more secrets than those of the Unicorn that the reporter and his clever little dog will plumb.
--------------------
Movie review
“The Adventures of Tintin”
Grade: A-
Starring the voices of Jamie Bell, Daniel Craig and Andy Serkis. Directed by Steven Spielberg.
Rated PG for adventure action violence, some drunkenness and brief smoking. At metro theaters. 1 hour, 47 minutes.
Bottom line: A breezy romp.
About the Author
