When one legend takes on another legend, you know that
one of them is not going to come out of it looking good.  In this instance it’s Steven Spielberg and
his encounter with Herge’s Tintin in  a
new animated 3D movie where the intrepid boy reporter and his cute white
terrier Snowy get out of their depth when Mr Spielberg gives them the whole ‘Indiana Jones’ treatment.

It’s a manic plot that starts off well and then has
the boy wonder pursuing baddies through the city, over oceans and through the
desert in search of some lost treasure.  The
action is incessant, and towards the end there is a ridiculous frenzied, seemingly
never-ending, car chase where Mr. Spielberg loses all restraint, and we are lose
our patience.

The movie, stitched together from three Herge books,
has a Tintin who is neither fully human nor fully animated but  with clever technology has the actor’s
movement and facial gestures transmitted via electrodes to a computer.  The result is weirdly lifelike but totally
lacking any emotion or depth as it  has
to rely too much on the actor’s voice (in this case the boy who never grew up:
Jaime Bell).  The visual look which has a
vague 1940’s feel to it in part, is rather wonderful and is by far the best
part of the whole movie.

I think my overwhelming perception of the movie as I
left the theatre somewhat bored and a little stunned, was that Mr Spielberg essentially
failed to give us any inkling that he understood Tintin, or even appreciated the
reason why he is so very well loved and has been for decades.  Where was even a hint of the passion he showed
for ET?  Or even Mr Jones?

Wait for the DVD, as you will so want to fast-forward.

★★★★★