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This review for Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn is by our good friend Rebecca at Just me... . We have known each other since we were 8 years old and she got us started in blogging.
Note: This is her option and not ours. We will most likely not like the movie any were near as munch as she does.
Okay, before I start off I want to thank Jacob and James for letting me write this guest post! I've never written one before and I'm really happy to have done this one! So thank you guys for letting me write on here and I hope all you JandJproduction fans will enjoy this review!
Directed: Steven Spielberg
Genre: Action Adventure, Comic Book Movies
Release Date: December 21st 2011
Running Time: 106 minutes
MMPA Rating: PG
The Good: The special effects, story and acting was superb--but then again that is saying the least. The special effects (more like graphics) were excellent and I could see Peter's hand there! The images were so realistic and so beautifully designed that it made you almost feel like you were watching a live action movie--rather than an animated one! Note: I'm saying all this about a movie that was made out of a COMIC book!
The character interpretations were absolutely perfect, which is good news to us fans! One of the biggest questions going around the Tintin fan base was how the characters would be represented. Would there true Herge personalities remain intact or would they be altered to fit Spielberg's 'idea' of what this movie should be. Fortunately, Spielberg and Jackson kept Herge's vision of his characters intact, save for a few changes here and there which is to be expected.
The Bad: The first bad thing that caught my eye was the fact that the story started off a little fast. I mean, I know nobody likes to watch movies that take forever to start--but it's just plain confusing when the story starts off like a Japanese bullet train! Now for me as a Tintin fan the quick start off wasn't really a problem, but for someone who isn't familiar with Tintin the fast starting story will only serve to confuse the viewer. And speaking of the story, there were a few things that caught my eye that probably should be noted.
The story has been changed quite a bit. Instead of focusing on it's name sake's (The Secret of the Unicorn) plot, it has veered off to include aspects from both The Crab with the Golden Claws and Red Rackham's Treasure. That was a little disappointing to the Tintin purists, but never the less it made for interesting watching.
Another bug-a-boo came with Captain Haddock. Haddock has undergone a few minor changes that, to a Haddock fan, were a little hard to stomach. First off, he's not Scottish, just so you know. However to me that one was actually a plus rather than a minus. Scottish accents are awesome! Second off, his anger management problems were toned down a LOT; which is good for the character...but not so good for the audience. A lot of fan's came just to see Haddock get really angry on the big screen, but alas that was not to be. I counted only two out bursts in the whole movie and both of those were small.
And last but not least, they made Haddock a little on the gross side. Not perverted gross, just whisky drinking gross. Stuff like having liquor breath and so on, not exactly in the comics there people. But either way, I guess some people found it funny...even if this blogger didn't.
However despite the story changes and the Haddock changes, the Movie was great and is a definite must see!
Plot: The story follows the intrepid young reporter Tintin who has spent the large majority of his young life traveling the world in search of a good story. One day, while he is out in the village market, Tintin finds a model ship called the Unicorn. Intrigued by the beauty of the ship Tintin buys it. However, he is soon approached by a very nervous man who tells him to get rid of the ship as soon as possible. When Tintin refuses the man leaves but not before warning him that the people he is messing with "Don't play nice". Confused by all this Tintin prepares to head home, but before he can he is once again approached, this time by a different man who introduces himself as Professor Ivan Sakharine. He offers to buy the ship for over ten times what Tintin payed for it. Sensing that there might be a good story involved in this, Tintin refuses the offer and heads home. Once at home he becomes even more intrigued by the ship and plans to head to the Naval Library to research the ship Unicorn in the hopes of finding out what has made it so interesting to the two men. Before he leaves however Snowy (his Fox Terrier) knocks the ship over and breaks the mast, releasing a small silver tube that promptly rolls under a table and out of Tintin's sight. Not knowing about the tube Tintin places the now broken ship back up on the table and heads for the library. While at the library Tintin discovers that the Unicorn, under the command of Sir Francis Haddock, sank after being attacked by pirates off the coast of Barbados. No one is sure why the pirates attacked the Unicorn, seeing how she wasn't supposed to be carrying anything of value at the time, but some claim that there was a secret cargo on board that could have been worth millions and Tintin believes that the two men who approached him are both looking for treasure.
His suspicious are all but confirmed when he returns home and discovers that his apartment has been ransacked and his model of the Unicorn stolen. While he is looking around Snowy uncovers the tube and shows it to Tintin who now knows that it must have fallen out of the broken mast. Inside the tube is a very old parchment with dozens of strange markings on it. Tintin believes it to be a code, and a clue to finding the treasure.
However, before Tintin can really begin to study the parchment the first man appears at his front door. He tells Tintin that he came to warn him about Sakharine. He says that Tintin is in grave danger and that he may very well be killed if he doesn't back off and leave well enough alone. Before Tintin can question the man further a street car flies by and shoots the man several times in the back. Tintin runs after the car while the man spells out the name Karaboudjan (Kara-boo-jan) on a newspaper. The next day the man dies in the hospital and Tintin is left with not only a model ship mystery, but also a murder.
Tintin then decides to visit Sakharine at his home Marlinspike Hall. Tintin breaks into the run down manor in the hopes of stealing back his own model ship. But he is caught and confronted by Sakharine. Tintin states that the ship he has found in the house is his and that it was stolen from his apartment. Sakharine laughs at the idea and tells him that this model ship is his that he has had for many years. Tintin is forced to agree with Sakharine when he discovers that the mast on this ship is not broken. He leaves puzzled and embarrassed.
However, on his way home he is confronted by three men who are delivering a large crate to his home. When he tells them he didn't order a package they quickly chloroform him and throw him into the crate. When he comes to he is locked in the hold of the Karaboudjan. Sakharine soon arrives and questions Tintin about the scrolls. Tintin says that he doesn't have the first scroll as his wallet, containing the scroll, had just been stolen. Sakharine grows impatient and tells Tintin he will find the scrolls with out without his help. After he leaves Tintin manages to free himself from his bonds and escape through the window with a home made grappling hook. He climbs into another cabin and meets the true Captain of the Karaboudjan, Captain Haddock. Tintin at first believes he's been caught, but then discovers that Haddock is kept drunk most of the time so that the evil first mate Allan can run the ship. Haddock has no idea about the goings of the ship and didn't know of Tintin's capture. Tintin tells him the story and discovers that Haddock is the direct decedent of Sir Francis Haddock. Realising that his men have turned against him he decides to help Tintin escape.
Watch the movie to find out what happens next!
Plot: 9.8/10 It was changed a lot, so that's why it didn't get a top 10.
Action: 8.8/10 Tintin didn't have nearly enough shooting in my opinion...but there again I'm sort of violent.
Acting: 9.9/10 Jamie Bell and Andy Serkis blew the audience away on this one!
Special Effects: 10/10 What more can I say? Peter Jackson's program made it!! Trust me, if you like the Polar Express or LOTRs effects you will love this!
Soundtrack: 9.8/10 The score was by none other than John Williams people! I believe it fit Tintin perfectly, but there again I am just a fan and not some music critic. One thing that struck me though was the fact that the opening score sounded a LOT like the Untouchables theme. Just me.
Comedy: Very funny and true to Herge's style!
Overall: 9.8/10 This movie was very good and a real treat to watch! Even if you aren't a Tintin fan you will enjoy this!
Closing Comments: This movie is a real treat to watch. If you are a adventure fan you will love this, trust me! It's action packed and, true to Herge's style, doesn't have a dull moment in it! So if you want to watch an action packed adventure film, Tintin The Secret of the Unicorn is your movie!
Recommended for: Tintin fans, Adventure fans, Action fans, Mystery fans, Comic book fans, Pirate of the Caribbean fans, Indiana Jones fans, Spielberg fans, Jackson Fans,
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