To be honest, I’ve only heard of the Tintin comics when I was little but never had a chance to read them.  I would even go so far to conclude that this series was a spin-off for the famous Wizard of Oz character the Tin man.  I clearly couldn’t have been more wrong, but alas, as a grown up I realized the stories are wildly unrelated.  ’The Adventures of Tintin’ directed by Steven Spielberg, is the story of young detective, Tintin, who is thrust into a treasure hunt along with his accomplices, Captain Haddock and his trusted sidekick dog, Snowy.  Tintin, the Captain and Snowy must figure out the mystery of the treasure through a series of three parchments that villian Ivanovich Sakharine also wants to get a hold of.  The catch is that each clue is hidden within identical model ships that were separated, one in which serves as a catalyst called ‘the unicorn’ for Tintin’s involvement in the new mystery.  

First and foremost, the animation of this film is so good.  While it was in 3D (UGH.) and the colors seemed really dark through the glasses, being the rebel that I am I tried to watch some segments without them and the colors were just fantastic.  I would have been just as happy watching this film in 2D because of imagery and visualization alone.  Not being familiar with this series, the characters were actually endearing.  I really enjoyed Andy Serkis as Captain Haddock, he was a goofy hero that you couldn’t help but root for.  Jamie Bell as Tintin did a decent job, I don’t really have much to compare it to but I am sure filming in motion capture is no easy task.  That can be said for all the actors actually.  In terms of sequences, I have to say that the adventure to grab one of the parchments tumbling through a whole city while a water dam breaks was thrilling.  I would LOVE to go on a Tintin themepark ride and experience what I felt when that sequence played out on screen.  It was so engaging and I really felt like I was along for the ride.  The story itself was a fun adaptation and I am sure many fans will be pleased seeing one of their favorite childhood memories on the big screen.  

The BIG PICTURE…While I may not have been familiar with Tintin before, I am glad that this film opened my eyes to a character that has been a part of so many peoples childhood.   With great animation and a sweet story, Tintin will be fun for kids and adults alike.