Rating: 
The Thompsons Twins (played by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) have just left Tintin’s house. As inspectors, they are on the look out for a serial pickpocket. We’ve seen this sly kleptomaniac in full force to know this, and just like a ticking time bomb we know is about to go off, they are victimized, only several steps away from Tintin’s residence. Close enough to see what is going on, oblivious and gullible Tintin not only lets the thief get away, but allows himself to get robbed in the process. Not only does this make him Steven Spielberg’s most naive character, but it also makes him the most inconsistent, as well. See, at times, Tintin is perfectly flawed, but incredibly productive. Then minutes later, he can be insultingly ignorant. And throughout the film, he constantly jumps back and forth between those two extremes.
Resembling a young Jude Law (but blonde), with hair that conveniently resembles a shark’s fin, Tintin is a youthful journalist who haphazardly finds himself at the mercy of an adventure after purchasing a small replica of the Unicorn, which was lost at sea, along with its treasure, centuries ago. Through a series of unfortunate circumstances, he teams up with Captain Haddock, who just happens to be a descendant of the Unicorn’s Captain. Haddock may very well be the most enthusiastic alcoholic I’ve seen in a film. Jack Sparrow might have to amp up the rum to compete!
Often it crosses the lines between giddily satisfying and obnoxiously over the top.
The Adventures of Tintin is almost always at odds with itself. By many peers, it has been compared to Spielberg’s own Indiana Jones franchise, often described as a contender for what the fourth film should have been. I digress! Many moments reflect the jovial of The Last Crusade, comparing to Haddock unwittingly shooting a rocket into a dam to Sean Connery’s Henry Jones Sr. clumsily shooting down their own getaway plane. Seconds later, I find myself reminded of the overblown monkey sequence from Kingdom of the Crystal Skull when Tintin swings down a wire using a part of his motorcycle, as well as the ensuing mayhem involving a building driven by a tank. Yes, you read that right!
Throughout the duration of the film, Spielberg had successfully captivated my attention, yet I also found myself constantly scratching my head. I insist, Tintin is often a gratifying experience. In one exciting sequence, Haddock’s ancestor lights a long line of gun powder, that descends into the ship’s armory. His nemesis, Rackham, attacks him, and a sword fight breaks out between the two, with Rackham putting out the fire and Haddock restarting it. Michael Kahn’s editing keeps the film focused and adventure oriented. It is the direction and even the story’s outcome that fall short. The villain’s plot is a great example of this. The culmination of his plan is comparable to that of the old, familiar “You see, this was the plan all along! Muhahahahaha!” cliche. Yet another malevolent scenario that doesn’t add up one bit, often leaving you to wonder “Wouldn’t it have just been easier to kill the guy when you held him prisoner?” I found myself more disturbed by the fact that the villain’s appearance resembles that of Spielberg’s!
Tintin doesn’t feel like a Steven Spielberg film, but more like an average, garden variety animated film.
Tintin is Spielberg’s first directorial foray into animated features. Yet, I can’t help but wonder if it would have been better suited for a much less exaggerated live action setting, with more of his fascinating artistic visuals. Those famous “Spielbergisms” are present, but clearly he was over-enthusiastic about not having limitations or boundaries. Thus, he often twirls the camera around the room and allows for far too many ridiculous set pieces, like a ship getting caught and twisted with another ship, and swinging like a theme park ride. I would have much loved to have seen Spielberg bring his live action sensibilities and visual flare to the animation world.
As with most of Spielberg’s films, Tintin is accompanied by a John Williams score. Enthusiasts might recognize hints of Family Plot, Catch Me If You Can, and even a bit of James Horner’s Honey, I Shrunk the Kids embedded in the mirthful cues. Notwithstanding, these particular Williams compositions fall short of grace, missing the strong, melodic central theme that the material calls for. But, as many of my peers would kindly point out, Williams on auto pilot is far batter than the likes of Tyler Bates and Paul Haslinger on their best days.
For years, it has been debated whether or not Steven Spielberg directed Poltergeist. No matter what occurred on that set, I’ve always pointed out that Poltergeist feels like a Steven Spielberg film. Tintin, on the other hand, is a Steven Spielberg film, but I find myself hesitant to make a comparable remark. However, with exchanges such as “A man was shot at our doorstep!” “Not again!”, how could you not be entertained?
