The Adventures of Tintin

Director Steven Spielberg has fashioned a wondrous, breathtaking thrill-ride in this photorealistic, motion-capture animated film inspired by the adventures of Belgian comic strip hero Tintin, a plucky young reporter. At an outdoor flea market, wide-eyed Tintin (voiced by Jamie Bell), accompanied by his white terrier, buys a model of an old warship ship, the Unicorn—which suddenly attracts the attention of both sinister Ivanovich Sakharine (Daniel Craig) and an American named Barnaby (Joe Starr). Tintin is now curious about the value of his mysterious acquisition—as are two incompetent, identical Interpol officers (Nick Frost and Simon Pegg). Before long, Tintin and his canine sidekick are kidnapped and tossed aboard the Karaboudjan, a steamer supposedly under the command of Capt. Archibald Haddock (Andy Serkis). But the salty, inebriated Captain is actually being held hostage because he's a direct descendant of a 17th-century naval commander who lost his ship—the Unicorn—to pirates led by the evil Red Rackham (also voiced by Daniel Craig). Eventually, Tintin and Capt. Haddock join forces on a chase through the North African desert to the fictional Moroccan city of Bagghar, hoping to discover the location of a treasure trove. Based on graphic novels by Georges Remi, who wrote under the pseudonym Hergé, this exhilarating escapade is filled with dashing derring-do and dastardly villainy. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “Snowy: From Beginning to End” featurette on Tintin's companion (10 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are 10 more behind-the-scenes featurettes including “The Journey,” “The World,” and “The Who's Who of Tintin,” (96 min. total), a bonus UltraViolet and DVD copies of the film. Bottom line: A solid extras package on Blu-ray for this entertaining family film.] (S. Granger)