Smile, it’s Tintin

DVD review: The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn
Starring: Jamie Bel, Andy Serkis. Director: Steven Spielberg.

Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson do a masterful job in bringing a childhood icon to life in Tintin. Recreating the charmingly naive world of Herge’s comic book creation was never going to be easy but the use of photo-realistic technology fleshes out the characters in a way that exceeds expectations. All the favourite figures are there from Snowy the dog to the bumbling detectives Thomson and Thompson, but it is Jamie Bell, in the title role, who captures the essence of the enthusiastic boy reporter. Andy Serkis provides plenty of laughs as the whiskey-loving captain Haddock while Bond star Daniel Craig plays against type as nefarious Red Rackham. This is one of those rare films guaranteed to leave you smiling.

★ ★ ★ ★