Concrete Playground

A lot of people have a strong attachment to Tintin, the boy reporter created by a Belgian artist who travels around the world solving crime and having endless adventures on the way. Having worked as a reporter for a little while now, I've never fought a pirate or voyaged in a pirate ship. I've never had to escape from a burning plane or trick very large dogs into not attacking me. All I can ask really, is why the hell not? 'Cause it looks like a lot of fun.

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn was brought lovingly to the screen by the massive fans Peter Jackson and Steven Spielberg. Working in motion capture, they've brought the characters very much to life, even in 3D, lifting them off the page. Tintin (Jamie Bell) discovers a model of the Unicorn, a long-lost ship supposedly sunk full of treasure. With Snowy and Captain Haddock (Andy Serkis) close behind, he soon tears into his usual hijinks.

While the motion capture technology at times can be alienating, not allowing you to fully identify with the characters, the rollicking adventure that the story takes you on is enough to keep you entertained. I felt as giddy as a schoolkid excited by a rollercoaster for most of this movie. It was a fun, exciting and completely over-the-top adventure.