Tintin (Jamie Bell) is an intrepid boy reporter assisted by his faithful pooch Snowy. One day, Tintin acquires a model of The Unicorn, a legendary galleon sunk long ago in a battle with pirates. Unfortunately, the sinister Sakharine (Daniel Craig) wants it too and he doesn't play nice.
Nabbed by Sakharine's goons, Tintin escapes thanks to the drunken sailor Haddock (Andy Serkis). Haddock, or rather his lineage, is the key to Sakharine's plot. So Tintin, like any other reporter, must get to the bottom of the story.
As Spielberg's first 3D animated film, this is a modern day cartoon movie serial. With its motion capture animation, Tintin's characters move and express themselves like real cartoon people. Its action scenes are reminiscent of Raiders of the Lost Ark, but in animation, Spielberg has and expresses the freedom to do truly anything. A one-take motorcycle ride through a fictional Moroccan town is just one fine expression of this freedom.
The screenplay, co-written by Edgar Wright, provides plenty of spotlight for its cast. You'll have no trouble remembering such characters as Haddock, Snowy the Dog, or even the identical bumbling detectives Thomson and Thompson (Nick Frost and Simon Pegg). For those unfamiliar with Tintin, this is a definite plus by any standards.
Still, which one was Thomson and which one was Thompson? Does it matter? Not really.
For some, this movie might be too serialesque; for others, this might be too long. But overall, Tintin's best quality is that it's pure fun from someone who knows fun. This is one movie that should be at least considered for a holiday movie day.
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