There are a lot of things to get excited about with the upcoming, Spielberg-directed, Tintin film. Getting us jumping about is that the scriptwriting credits read like the ultimate Mild Concern wish list: Steven Moffat, Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish were all tasked with stringing three of Hergé’s books into one film. That’s two trios of awesome right there. Then move down to the cast, bursting with Great British talent: you’ve got Gollum, James Bond, Billy Elliot and Westley (or Andy Serkis, Daniel Craig, Jamie Bell and Cary Elwes, if you’re fussy about your actors’ names.)
But we have fears too. There’s the obvious worry that no film could do justice to the original Tintin books, or even the (classic) animated series. Then there’s the hyper-realistic, motion-capture animation, which had me examining the trailer expecting the same creepy vibe I got off The Polar Express. Check out my conclusions, and other uninformed comments, after the jump.
My hunt for disturbing doll-like people was initially thwarted by all the creeping around in the dark.
What’s under the sheet?
Ooh, is it a pony?
How cute is Snowy?
Although I think he looks demonic here.
This is my favourite shot of the trailer. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are Thompson and Thomson, but their potentially creepy faces remain hidden.
Captain Haddock!
I am guessing these are bad guys: my fuzzy memory tells me the concerned one on the right is Haddock’s First Mate, who I quite like the look of here. Baddie on the left looks a bit waxy.
Fight!
FIIIIIIIIIGHT!
Action Tintin! I do like that the overall look is so faithful to the comic artwork and am enjoying the film noir-ish vibe.
This is a new enough art (technology?) that I am still impressed by the pretty.
Dramatic shot of the Unicorn breaking through waves! Still no proper face shots though.
Dammit, why must everything be in 3D?
Finally, we see Tintin’s face.
I don’t think it’s too bad in the still, I like the eyes especially, but in the moving animation I got a strong sense of Uncanny Valley. I’m not sure if mixing the realism of motion capture with the style of the comic book art is going to gel and I would have been more comfortable if they had gone down a different animated route: maybe stop motion à la Coraline. Ultimately though, I’m just steeling myself to be disappointed by a total film that fails its individual awesome parts.
And I really hate 3D.
Mild Concern 