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DVD Les aventures extraordinaires d’Adèle Blanc-Sec
 Run time: 107 min Rating: 6.2 Genres: Action | Adventure | Fantasy Director: Luc Besson Writers: Luc Besson, Jacques Tardi Stars: Louise Bourgoin, Mathieu Amalric, Gilles Lellouche |
| Storyline Desperate to cure her near catatonic sister, intrepid authoress Adèle Blanc-Sec braves ancient Egyptian tombs and modern Egyptian lowlife to locate a mummified doctor and get him back to Paris. Her hope is that oddball Professor Espérandieu will then use his unusual powers to bring the doctor back to life so he, in turn, can use his centuries-old skills on the unfortunate sister. In Paris however Espérandieu is already causing mayhem, having brought to life what was a safe museum egg but is now a very active pterodactyl. Paris 1911 may not be the healthiest place to be. Written by Jeremy Perkins {J-26} |
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| Plot Keywords: pterodactyl, ramses ii, guillotine, louvre, tomb | |
| Details: Country: France Release Date: 22 April 2011 (UK) |
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| Box Office Budget: €25,000,000 (estimated) |
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4 comments
Having been lucky to find it was showing at the cinema, I must admit I jumped at the chance to see it being a fan of Luc Besson. I didn't really know what to expect (having only seen trailers for the movie) and I never read the original stories, however I was pleasantly surprised.
Overall the film was very funny and had some very good set pieces, including a very enjoyable scene in Egypt and a scene in a Parisian prison that reminded me of the slapstick nature of the original "Pink Panthers". Louise Bourgoin was very good as the titular heroine and was able to pull off both charm and dead-pan humour effectively throughout the film, making her a pleasure to watch.
However I must admit that at times the plot did wear thin at places and I would be lying if I didn't say that the story itself was very silly. At times it felt as though I was watching a cross between "The Mummy Returns" and "The Crystal Skull" (although this movie is a far superior specimen) while at other times the film reverted to a more serious adventure tone, unable to properly balance the two tones.
All in all I enjoyed the film and would happily see it again. If you are the sort of person who enjoyed "Sahara" and "National Treasure" then this film is for you. On the other hand fans of the more refined explorer films such as "Raiders" might find little to relate to. That being said I do hope for is that the film will be successful enough to merit a sequel, even if the ending does leave it on a rather pointless cliffhanger.
"Les aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec" is just the kind of movie you would like to see after a day of hard work. It's funny, crazy without being stupid, rich in adventure. This zany comedy may not be faithful to the original comic (I haven't read it) and the story is hardly believable but it's certainly entertaining with nice costumes, beautiful sets from early 20th century Paris and good actors.Children ten or older will love the adventure thing in the movie, with dinosaurs, talking mummies and secret Egyptian tombs. Weird, freaky, sometimes a little bit scary and always funny. Louise Bougoin(Adèle) is beautifully charming, clever and funny, as well as the rest of the cast.
This movie has got a little "Amélie Poulain" feeling with its fantasy, and if the plot isn't very credible, I still had a very good time watching it for it's always surprising and hilarious.
I found this film to be highly entertaining. I wasn't aware of it's comic book origins, but they come as no surprise. I did have high expectations having enjoyed most every movie I've seen by Luc Besson. In that, it did not disappoint.
This is not a movie you will be taking seriously. But there's the charm that you'd find in french director Jeunet's films (like Amélie or City of Lost Children) but without the smarm of Micmacs. Also at work here is Besson's great use of expressive, diverse faces and superb sets and costumes like in his The 5th Element. A few charming plot twists that would never come from a Hollywood film and you've got a ticket to a highly entertaining movie.
Louise Bourgoin is excellent in the lead role. She fits marvelously into this detailed 1911 and is both charming and resourceful. I hope to see her again.
Overall I came into this film not expecting much but started grinning in the first ten minutes and left with a smile. It's not without plot holes and some occasional barely passable special effects. But it's got heart, whimsy and a steampunk Paris that delights the imagination.
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)