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| THE EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF ADÈLE BLANC-SEC |
Movie
review by Neil Sadler
Starring: Louise Bourgoin, Mathieu Amalric, GilLles Lellouche, Jean-Paul Rouve, Jacky Nercessian, Phillipe Nahon
Director: Luc Besson
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In many ways THE
EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF ADELE BLANC-SEC is pretty indescribable.
Part adventure, part comedy, part costume drama, part romance and
major part fantasy. If it compares to any film, it is probably one
that isn't even completed yet, namely TINTIN. Both are based on
famous comic strips that involve fantastic locations and strange
characters. I don't remember there ever being gratuitous breast
shots in TINTIN but maybe Spielberg and Jackson are working on
rectifying this.
Adele is a famous adventurer and writer who journeys around the
world and has earned a reputation for her books on her adventures.
While a pterodactyl is seen flying around Paris, Adele is in Egypt
attempting to find and resurrect an ancient Mummy but once back in
Paris she finds she is linked to the birth of the prehistoric
creature and finding it proves essential to her completing her
mission.
Populated with bizarre characters and beautiful locations, Luc
Besson’s take on the famous Gallic comic strip of the 1920's may
struggle outside France as it lacks the recognition of Herge's boy
detective, but it certainly doesn't lack enjoyment. Inventive,
joyously silly but mostly just plain enjoyable, Besson manages to
create a fantasy that although pretty ridiculous, is always
constantly amusing.
Considering the last few films Besson has been involved in have been
cartoons, it’s unsurprising that there is a cartoonish quality to
this film. Twenties Paris looks shiny and amazing as do the plethora
of weird and wonderful characters. The humour is very cartoon like
which only make the more adult elements (particularly the brief
nudity) more jarring but then this is a French film and wears its
Gallic charms proudly on its laced stitched sleeves.
What is most enchanting and surprising, is quite how funny the film
is. All of Besson’s films have a certain humour to them, but
often, as in THE FIFTH ELEMENT, they jar with an audience outside of
France. Here, though the humour works well and Louise Bourgoin as
Adele is a good combination of glamour and practicality with great
comic timing and a commitment to the role that lifts it above the
ludicrous.
The sets and costumes may look wonderful, but there are a few
moments where the effects don’t quite match the ambition –
particularly in some of the pterodactyl flying sequences. It is no
SCORPION KING moment, but you always wonder if it is money or time
or simply over ambition that gives you these jarring effects.
Outside of France, you wonder what audience this film will have, but
for an enjoyable childish, thoroughly adult experience, you could do
a lot worse than spending some time in the company of the charming
Adele Blanc-Sec.
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