An interesting alternative to Spielberg's Tintin. This adaption of a French graphic novel compares in many ways. Besson uses actors to represent comic book characters rather than the far more expensive motion-captured, computer-generated people of Tintin.
That's not to say there aren't extensive visual effects in Adèle. CGI portrays impossible characters, like the pterodactyl. Digital compositing is used to present Paris and Egypt of a hundred years ago. And for the more grotesque and bizarre human characters, there are elaborate prosthetic make-ups.
Adèle is on a trip to Peru to complete her latest book. That's what her publisher thinks. She's actually in Egypt raiding tombs. Why has she lied, and what has this to do with a pterodactyl terrorising Paris? The police can't believe that a prehistoric animal has killed a senior politician, they need to solve the case fast, no matter how much Adèle gets in their way...
Like the Tintin stories, there's a detailed and realistic presentation of the past, but with more magical and fantasy elements. Like Tintin, Adèle is also a writer, giving her the opportunity to travel. Similarly, her only real advantages are knowledge, contacts and personality - she doesn't bow to convention. It may not be ladylike to ride a camel, but if she needs to learn, she will. With a burning desire to succeed, she overcomes the odds with little more than an umbrella and a bag of bird seed...
As a newcomer to the stories, I loved the completely unpredictable nature of the story, and it's always nice to see a guillotine in action... This wasn't as consistently funny as it wanted to be, but maybe I was missing out on the Frenchier in-jokes. It could almost be a family film, though some of the more intense drama and some casual nudity might not be for younger viewers.
Luc Besson has mentioned that this story was a childhood favourite of his. He spent many years gaining the trust of the author, Jacques Tardi, who'd already dealt with three film studios trying to adapt the story. While this isn't as dark or as adult as many of Besson's earlier films, I think that's because he's committed himself to being as faithful to the original story as possible. While more likely to be the producer nowadays, after writing the script he couldn't allow another director make this one.
I haven't read any of the original stories yet, but I will. Actress Louise Bourgoin is far more beautiful than the grumpy character in the comics. The first two stories (which combined to form the basis for the film) have been translated into English as one volume.
Mark Hodgson (Black Hole Reviews)
