Oscar Movie with Abe: The Adventures of Tintin

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Released December 21, 2011



It’s difficult to make a movie about any classic character from literature. Bold reporter Tintin, from the Belgian comic books by Hergé, offers a particularly fun challenge, bringing to life this hand-drawn character with computer animation. Steven Spielberg, proven to be a filmmaking pioneer over the past few decades, does a magnificent job of adapting Tintin for the big screen, creating an animated film fitting for both children and adults. Most importantly, it serves equally as a motion capture animation achievement, bringing Tintin’s wild adventures to life with grace and wonder, and a vehicle for a fantastic story, filled with intrigue and humor. Tintin’s energy and enthusiasm is part of what makes him such a superb character, and Jamie Bell’s spot-on voicing works spectacularly. Andy Serkis is entertaining as drunkard Captain Haddock, and the rest of the voice cast, including Daniel Craig, Nick Frost, Simon Pegg, Toby Jones, and Daniel Mays, is utilized to great effect. This is probably the most enjoyable animated entertainment produced in 2011, and could easily spawn a series of sequels. Its snub for Best Animated Feature is truly lamentable, and its inclusion in Best Original Score for its bubbly soundtrack is but a half-decent consolation prize.

B+