the Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn DVD

The Adventures of Tintin follows the exciting exploits of a young reporter, his dog, a sea captain with a drinking problem, and a couple of bumbling Interpol detectives as they travel from Europe to the Sahara and Morocco in pursuit of a pickpocket, model-ship collectors and long-lost treasure. Steven Spielberg's and Peter Jackson's long-awaited full-length film, based on the original Tintin comics by Hergé, combines the stories " The Secret of the Unicorn," " Red Rackham's Treasure," and " The Crab with the Golden Claws" into a generally fast-paced adventure that feels just a tad too long.

The individual stories and the characters Tintin, Snowy, Captain Haddock, and Thompson and Thomson are all quite faithfully represented. The motion-capture animation is similar to that of Polar Express and is both fascinating and a bit odd at times. As in the comics themselves, the characters are highly stylized and instantly recognizable, but Tintin's facial expression is eerily stoic and there's a hint of strangeness that's hard to put a finger on. Snowy is delightfully funny to watch, though he is a bit fluffier than in the original comics, and the real animation standouts are the secondary characters like Thompson and Thomson and Captain Haddock, who somehow seem absolutely perfect.

Devoted fans will revel in the abundance of small details that reference the comics and suggest a true love for Tintin on the filmmakers' parts, but even viewers who don't know a thing about the comics will thoroughly enjoy this exciting adventure. (Suitable for ages 7 and older) --Tami Horiuchi