Tintin

[ELIOLI]

I know! Some have even said it was too slow! You have some saying it is gorgeous to look at and others saying it looks creepy. I wonder how the rating would be if this wasn't performance capture?
For some reason, I just get the feeling some people have something towards Spielberg, but that's just me.
Just been reading around some of the self-reviews on some blogs and whatnot, a lot being positive, but there were a few always mentioning how Spielberg is "overrated" hence some of the dislike of the film. Kinda stupid if you ask me. real,y don't want to go into the discussion of that certain topic, but there is a lot of nit picking going around for this film.

[Ben]

Trust me, it's the best "classic Spielberg" film since Minority Report. As for too much action or too slow...pah! It's perfectly paced, warming up during the first half, going all out in the second.

You truly haven't seen a film that looks like this!

[ELIOLI]

Will post my review here shortly! I am no professional though!

[EricJ]

Holding off for the week after Christmas (discount Tuesday, and everything's closed for Monday holiday). At least this one, I KNEW I was going to see.

[ShyViolet]

I'll be seeing this in a week or so....SOOOOOO excited!

[ELIOLI]

Slighty edited since it was posted somewhere else.

If you ever have watched the documentary of Herge and the concept of Tintin called “Tintin and I”, you will learn that yes, Tintin has an unknown back story. His character is supposed to be Herge himself, wishing to be that adventurer. Tintin can be replaced with all of us, the adventurer in all of us. His personality may be “dead pan”, but it was the thrill for Herge and the reader of the comics to imagine himself into the extraordinary world on Tintin.
Now, for the animation. Mo- cap is mo-cap, so yes, it may have it’s share of moments of eeriness. BUT, I for one, looked passed that and saw some really great characters. Maybe not fully fleshed out in personality (Tintin)of course, which was ok. I don’t have to know a back story for everyone.There was a lot of personality for the other characters. Maybe not Tintin himself, but he is flawless it seems as portrayed in the comics..haha. This may not be the best movie for 3D, with all the fun action, it can get a little , dizzy? And I wouldn’t go far to call it a waste of money. It was well worth it, even my parents enjoyed it.
As for this whole eye issue, it is not as bad as some people make it out to be. It was actually pretty lifelike, you know, it had life in them!! Especially some of Tintin’s excited expressions, the eyes gleamed.
As for story, I admittingly have not yet to read the comics, but I thank the movie for sparking my interest to buy the comics, discover more about the adventures, and anxiously await the sequel.
It is impossible not to have fun, well in this case, crack a smile in this film. Like some of the dialogue in the movie, I guess I am not a realist, but an optimist. Going with the intentions to point out the technicalities in a film and not really focusing on the “just going to enjoy a good movie” aspect, then I won’t be surprised if you left disappointed.
And regarding the story, the movie is close to what I have read so far, loyal to the 3 books that were used to be in this one film of hopefully many others (2). But things have to be tweaked, as for any comic/book adaption, for it to be easy to follow and interesting for the casual viewer, A.K.A., not the Tintinologist.
Just to put it short: It’s fun, action packed, intriguing, humorous, and it was not creepy like Polar Express.
I think some of the critics are being a tad bit too harsh on this film, many pointing out more of the technical aspects.

There have been a some people who didn't like the film, was ONLY because they couldn't look past the mo-cap business. Kinda sad.

Anyway, go see the film! Give it a chance. It may be one of those love it or hate it type films.

[EricJ]

There have been a some people who didn't like the film, was ONLY because they couldn't look past the mo-cap business. Kinda sad.

It's only at a mere 75% on RottenTomatoes, with most of the 25% party-poopers either harboring old grudges for Zemeckis's mo-cap (yes, I know, but to our generation, all mo-cap is Polar Express), or simply exploiting the Spielberg-after-Crystal-Skull connection and saying "Eh, Tintin's no Indy."

(Although I'll admit, it was hard to see the sidecar-motorbike chase in the trailers--complete with Haddock hitting the wrong thing with big guns--and NOT subconsciously associate Haddock with Sean Connery in "Last Crusade" and disappointing Spielberg Indy-retreads...Not that I agree with them, but I can at least see how they might think that.)

[Ben]

Well I HATE mo-cap of the crummy kind, but I loved Tintin. The difference is Weta and their keyframing augmentation of the mo-cap. Read our front page interview for how clear the process is. It's just not the same as Imageworks and Image Movers' slavish approach to what was captured.

Anyway, it's nice to see people reacting positively to this, especially seeing as Tintin isn't as automatically a recognizable character in the US.

[estefan]

Yeah, I loved Tintin. Absolutely fantastic in almost every department. Spielberg nailed the comic books perfectly. This truly is Tintin brought to the big screen and I had a big smile on my face the whole time, because of it. However, I think it will work well for those who have never read the books, either. The action is superb, the acting is top-notch, the screenplay is smart and funny and the motion-capture is phenomenal. It works as a great adaptation of the comic books, a technical marvel and a fun ride.

[ShyViolet]

History of Tintin adaptations:

http://www.cartoonbrew.com/comics/every ... es-up.html

[estefan]

Looking at Tintin's North American box-office, it honestly perplexes me. Why is it that European comics are successful elsewhere in the world, but have never really captured a big audience in English-language Canada and the United States? I'm not just talking about Tintin, but ones like Asterix and Lucky Luke as well. They have the right blending of humour and action with good stories, so one would think they would appeal to an American audience. I'm really curious about this. I mean, if not even Spielberg and Jackson's names can make Tintin popular in the United States...

On the plus ride, Paramount is looking mainly at the international box-office, so a sequel will still be made and it will make its money back. Nonetheless, the lack of popularity for Tintin in North America slightly upsets me, since those comic books are that good.

[Bill1978]

I often find that the US is very snobby about other countries ability to provide entertainment. Every now and then there is an exception eg Harry Potter or Lord Of The Rings. But usually if a non-US idea/film takes off at the box office it is viewed as a curioisty and a one off.

I knew Tintin would struggle at the US box office while watching the lastest series of The Amazing Race. They were given a picture clue with an acotr dressed as Tintin, costumes to wear which made them look like The Thompson Twins and then they had to run around Belgium looking for the mual in the background of Tintin's photo. They they had to tell Tintin who he was and who they were dressed as an their occupation. All the teams were clueless and had to research or ask people. Hell one team thought they were Charlie Chaplin. And even when they learnt who they were not one team said 'Ah yes of cource Tintin, silly me'

So if anything Tintin would be noting more than a curiosity, that even the brand name of Speilberg/Jackson and a little trailer for a sequel couldn't help wipe the floor over a dodgy movie about singing chipomunks, a sequel to a action detective movie whose source material was never action based, a movie based on a book that no one can really tell me the plot or why it is so damn awesome or that movie starring the #1 movie star I cannot tolerate.

Hopefully I can see Tintin this week, since it opens today in Australia.

[Randall]

Looking at Tintin's North American box-office, it honestly perplexes me. Why is it that European comics are successful elsewhere in the world, but have never really captured a big audience in English-language Canada and the United States?

While Tintin may not be as popular in Canada as in Europe, he does have a following here, and I've spoken with a number of people excited about the film. Still, I'd be curious as to how it ends up doing here.

I plan to see it in a couple of days, myself, and I'm pumped!

[ELIOLI]

I was a little daunted with the box-office here as well. Shame. But I am for sure there will be a sequel. I personally don't care of what America likes or what gains their attention anymore though. You can tell by what they pay to watch..:p

I just wonder what is the big turn-off? Holidays? Travel? Polar Express??
I mean, it is not like I have to be familiar to the character in order to see a movie.
Weird as it may seem, but the look of the film could lead some people to believe it isn't a for younger crowds? There are no talking animals or characters with huge ungoldy eyes..so...

What bugs me as well is that there are a few comments I have seen about how the animation need to be animated more "properly".(Can't animate themselves). I mean wow, was it really that bad? It is some of the best I have ever seen for its kind of film.
I guess am I too optimistic about any movie? I sure do enjoy them a lot more when I am, though. I hope the earnings come back up gradually over the course of its run. Judging by it's box-office though, it seems to be one of the higher grossing films this year, beating possibly the Hangover and whatnot. (America's taste..) I am not ashamed to even say that, because I am an American anyway. Hah.

[EricJ]

I just wonder what is the big turn-off? Holidays? Travel? Polar Express??

Everything except travel. I can't see this as being the movie where people were "waiting for reviews", but as far as doubtful waiting-for-reviews "Hey, turned out to be a good movie after all, guess I SHOULD better see it!", there was only room for one impulse-theatergoing "discovery" during hectic Christmas week, and the better-than-anyone-sanely-expected-it-to-be Mission:Impossible already stole that thunder.

We've still got a whole week of school vacation left--and only the truly desperate parent would take in Alvin when it's already been "wounded" after its third-place opening--so wouldn't count Tintin out yet on a second week, when there's word of mouth to be spread.