What’s been missing from the movies all year? Fun. And “Fun” is exactly what The Adventures of Tin Tin is full of.
2011 has been a year of reboots, remakes, sequels, and just a whole lot of average films. Most movies I see never actually go beyond telling an average story with average visuals and average characters and average everything. Tin Tin is the opposite of all that. Tin Tin takes an Indiana Jones, Uncharted 2/3 adventure vibe and puts a compelling and interesting story around it while visually knocking you on your feet.
Written by Steven Moffat (Doctor Who), Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim vs. The World), and Joe Cornish (Attack the Block) there is not a single dry moment in this film. Three of the greatest Sci-Fi/Adventure writers in the world coming together to build a screenplay about Tin Tin is a dream come true. Elements from all of their work come into play here. The wit from Doctor Who, the pacing of Scott Pilgrim, and the clever comebacks of Attack the Block are all perfected and put together in this story of Tin Tin. That in combination with Producer Peter Jackson and Director Steven Spielberg create a visually and compelling film from start to finish.
The story of Tin Tin is of a boy reporter who solves cases by going out on adventures to uncover the truth. It is an original British character that came to the states, but was never as popular as it was/is overseas. (Just like the Arctic Monkeys) Tin Tin here is already well accomplished as a reporter and is trying to solve the case as to why a model boat he purchased was stollen from his flat. This leads him to be quickly captured by Red Rackham (Daniel Craig, the Antagonist) in their search for the secret puzzle piece to a treasure hidden in the model boat. It is here that he partners up with the drunk Captain Haddock whom is the perfect mixture of comic relief, conflict, and protagonist.
Visually, the film uses it’s 3D and it’s animation very well. The long sweeping sequences, often in one single shot, are easy to follow and yet intense because they never cut away. The brilliant control in animation let’s the viewer follow along during a bike chase (for example) cutting through allies and roads, going with the action, but never having to stop for a moments rest.
The characters are all so well defined that it’s hard to find fault in any of them. Daniel Craig’s evil, maniacal voice strikes fear as quicker than anyone else in mind could. The inspectors (Simon Pegg and Nick Frost), Tin Tin (Jamie Bell), and Haddock (Andy Serkis) have some of the best voice acting in any animated movie (minus Pixar films) in recent years. They are also so well defined through the film. Many of these “average” films from this year don’t feel consistent, especially concerning their characters and development. Tin Tin’s characters are so well crafted it’s a joy to discover more about every single one.
In a film that feels like an animated version of The Young Indiana Jones series, the fun of going to the movies returns. In the “light” Best Animated Movie category this year this is by far and away the best of the bunch. No offense Pixar, but Tin Tin is much better than Larry the Cable Guy car fart jokes.
9.5 Tin Tin’s out of 10
