In his best movie in years, Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures Of Tintin is a glorious, grand animated adventure the whole family can enjoy.

The story opens with Tintin, a curious young reporter, buying an antique scale model ship of the “Unicorn” at a thrift market. At that moment, a sinister man approaches Tintin, offering him an enormous sum for the ship. Tintin refuses, valuing the ship for its beauty, not its commercial value.

When he arrives home, the ship accidentally falls, and the mast breaks. Unknown to him (though his loyal dog Snowy notices) a small metal cylinder falls out and rolls beneath the furniture.

When Tintin leaves, thieves ransack his apartment and steal the ship. When he returns, Snowy leads him to the cylinder. He finds it contains a tiny scroll with a clue to the whereabouts of a great treasure.

Tintin sets out to discover the secret of the Unicorn. He’s captured by the evil Ivanovich Sakharine for snooping around, but not before a master pickpocket on the loose steals Tintin’s wallet containing the clue.

It turns out Sakharine is on the same quest and already possesses another scale model of the Unicorn. In total, there are three models of the Unicorn. Each model contains their own clue, that when combined with light, will reveal the exact whereabouts of the treasure.

Sakharine and his men imprison Tintin aboard a cargo ship, which Sakharine has hijacked from Captain Haddock. Snowy manages to get on board and free Tintin when the sailors aren’t looking. Tintin finds Haddock just in time to make their daring escape in a lifeboat.
Tintin and Haddock set out on the quest to find the third and final ship model to reveal the treasure left by Haddock’s ancestor. As the duo (with Snowy of course!) race against Sakharine, the plot picks up speed, literally, in an elaborate car chase sequence sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

Eventually, Tintin learns Captain Haddock harbours the final secrets to the treasure. Ultimately, light brings truth – with lots of action along the way.

Best of all, the movie has a strong moral, redemptive worldview. Good conquers evil, an alcoholic sidekick finds sobriety, and the villain goes off to jail instead of being killed.

The Adventures of Tintin also has positive overt references to the Cross on which Jesus Christ suffered and died for our sins. That’s actually one of the clues to where the treasure lies. This content gives the movie a strong Christian allegorical, symbolic, or metaphorical sense where light from the “sun” reveals the final clue to the mystery of the hidden treasure.
While it may be a little long for young viewers, it’s a great movie for the whole family.

Reviewed by Tom Snyder and Tyler Walton

photos courtesy WETA Digital Ltd.

Acceptability Rating +4 to -4          This refers to the moral quality of the production. +4 Exemplary: No questionable elements what so ever +3 Moral: Some minor questionable elements +2 Good: Moderately questionable elements +1 Wholesome: Recommended but decernment required for       younger children -1 Caution: Discussion advised for older children -2 Extreme Caution: Discretion advised for adults -3 Bad: Excessive sex, violence, and/or immorality -4 Evil: Intentional blasphemy, evil and/or gross immorality Recent wholesome films your whole family can enjoy: Quality Acceptability     Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked +1       Hugo +1         Seven Days In Utopia +4         Snowmen +2             The Muppets +2           Winnie The Pooh +3

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