My last review had the protagonist playing a journalist.This time also,the lead protagonist is a journalist,the only difference being is that this journalist is probably the world’s most famous Scribe,the one whom we all have adored and loved since our childhood.Yes, it is the Belgian boy Tintin.
Making a film on such an iconic character is always very challenging coz if things go wrong, brick bats are very harsh.It becomes more challenging for an acclaimed director like Spielberg coz criticism is even more harsher for the bigwigs.
But nothing to worry about as this film not only brings Tintin alive to screen in a truly rocking way but also is Spielberg’s return to top form.
Based on three Tintin stories- The Crab with the Golden Claws (1941), The Secret of the Unicorn (1943), and Red Rackham’s Treasure (1944,this one could have been confusing but is not so.Spielberg alongwith the screenwriters do a mighty great job of taking three stories and mixing them into a totally coherent & entertaining film.
The film begins with Tintin and his faithful dog Snowy in a market place where Tintin is getting his portrait done by an artist.Snowy notices a pick-pocket in the market and goes after him but loses track of him.There in the market,Tintin discovers a beautiful model of an old three-masted sailing ship ‘UNICORN’.He buys it but then is persuaded by both Ivan Ivanovitch Sakharine and a mysterious man by the name of Barnaby to give the ship model to them.Tintin rejects their proposal but is intrigued by the fact that why would these two persons be so interested in buying an old ship model that much.
At Tintin’s home,a fight ensues between Snowy and the neighbour’s cat in which the ship’s model gets broken.A parchment scroll slips out of the ship’s mast and rolls down under the furniture.Snowy tries to alert Tintin of the scroll but fails as Tintin goes out to research about the Unicorn.
On the other hand,ineffective detectives Thomson & Thompson try to catch the kleptomaniac thief Astride silk.Tintin meets Sakharine and comes to know that two more models of the ship exist.Back home,he finds his house burgled and the ship model stolen.Luckily,he is able to retrieve the scroll which had been lying under the furniture.Mr.Barnaby comes to warn Tintin to stay from this mess but is shot dead.Meanwhile,the next day The kleptomaniac thief Astride silk steals away the scroll from Tintin’s pocket and Tintin Himself alongwith Snowy gets kidnapped by Sakharine’s men and is imprisoned on SS Karaboudjan.There he meets the perennially drunk captain of the ship Haddock, who has no idea on what is going on his ship.In fact, the ship is now actually controlled by Allan,who is Haddock’s first mate and works for Sakharine.
Tintin,Snowy & Haddock manage to escape from the Karaboudjan.Then,Sakharine sents A seaplane to catch them but Tintin manages to capture the plane and fly towards Moroccan port Of Bagghar.But sadly their plane crashes and they land in a desert.Now,in the absence of alcohol,the normally drunk Haddock starts reminiscing about his ancestor Sir Francis Haddock.Now this Ancestor was the captain of the Unicorn ship in the 17th century,who after losing a fierce and vicious battle to RED Reckham[who wants to capture the ship's treasure],manages to escape from Red Reckham’s prison on the ship.After his escape,Francis haddock sets the Unicorn on fire and lets the ship sink so that Red Reckham can’t get his dirty hands on the ship’s treasure.It now becomes clear that there are three scrolls,each hidden in three ship models which would give the location of the Unicorn and it’s treasure.It is the same treasure that Sakharine,a descendant of Red Reckham,is going after with all his power.
The two detectives manage to retrieve the scroll from Astride silk and hands it over to Tintin who in turn hands it over to Captain Haddock,who promises to guard the Scroll with his life.With one scroll in Tintin’s hands and another scroll in Sakharine’s hands,we get to know that the third and the final ship model which contains the scroll is safely enclosed in a bullet proof display case,owned by Wealthy Omar Bin Salaad.So,Tintin is quite sure that the final scroll will not reach Sakharine’s dirty hands and goes to attend a concert by the famous MILANESE NIGHTINGALE-Bianca Castafiore.
But the evil Sakharine has other plans.He manages to get Captain Haddock drunk and take the first scroll away.The third scroll,safe in the bullet proof case gets broken down by the voice of the milanese nightingale [you know how some western women with their high-pitched and wooooooo hoooooooo singing can break people's head and glasses] and Sakharine Gets his hawk to fly down and take the third scroll away.Tintin&Co try their best to stop Sakharine from going away and give him a mighty chase but Sakharine manages to walk away.Now with all three scrolls that are needed to indicate the location of the treasure and the ship with Sakharine,what would Tintin& co do?How can they stop the sinister Sakharine?For that you need to watch this rocking film.
This film is so well written and well directed that almost every scene is a treat to watch and brings joy to the soul.Every emotion and every expression is brilliantly brought to the screen.All the adventures that Tintin & party indulge in,be it the chase&escape sequences or the battle ones,all of them are thoroughly Entertaining and engrossing.The film has been shot with an inspired visual flair that is both dazzling and spell binding.
The film does have some minor flaws like some unnecessary humour and little confusion but nothing major to distract your attention and force you to go for a loo break.Instead it keeps you hooked from the beginning to the end.
In short, a truly enjoyable roller-coaster ride of fantastic entertainment that can be enjoyed both by the readers and no-readers of Tintin.Hats off Spielberg for bringing not only the story but also bringing alive the true essence of Tintin to Screen.
Major cast-1] Jamie Bell-Tintin
2] Andy Serkis-Captain Haddock & Ancestor Haddock
3] Daniel Craig-Red Reckham & Sakharine
Major Crew-1] Steven Spielberg-Director
2] Steven Moffat,Edgar Wright & Joe Cornish-Screenplay
3] Herge-Story
4] John Williams-Music
5] Janusz Kaminski-Cinematography
6] Michael Kahn-Editing
7] Lesley Burkes-Harding-Costume Design
8] Andrew L.Jones & Jeff Wisniewski-Art Direction
What’s HOT-Almost Everything.
What’s Not-Minor glitches like small confusing portions or unnecessary humour at small places.
Rating-4.5/5
Verdict-Not to be missed at any cost.
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