Arthur And The Invisibles Review

"Arthur And The Invisibles" reviews

Movie

Arthur And The Invisibles

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2007-05-02 22:16:22

Rating

2/5

Provider

CinemaSource

Review

Arthur and the Invisibles is just so-so, despite filmmaker Luc Besson's fervent attempts to create magic.

Story

Based on books by Besson (yes, he writes books, too), we meet Arthur (Freddie Highmore), a 10-year-old kid living on his grandparents' farm. But there's trouble: Arthur's grandfather has mysteriously disappeared and now a real estate developer wants the land Arthur's grandma (Mia Farrow) doesn't have enough money to keep. Maybe the solution lies in his grandpa's treasure, which is hidden somewhere on the ''other side'' in the land of the Minimoys. Who are the Minimoys, you ask? Why, they are creatures that live in Arthur's backyard, just a tenth of an inch tall--that's who. The only hope is for Arthur to enter into this miniature world, become a little pointy-earred, wild-haired Minimoy, find the treasure in the forbidden city and save the day. For this adventurous boy, that's no problem.

Acting

Arthur and the Invisibles doesn't lack star power, that's for sure. Along with sweet-faced, high-spirited Highmore (taking a step down from Finding Neverland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, in my opinion) and Farrow (who looks a little Minimoy-ish herself), we have the voices of: Madonna as the plucky Minimoy warrior princess; Jimmy Fallon as her younger, klutzy brother; Robert De Niro as their father, the king; Harvey Keitel as a kindly wizard; Snoop Dogg as a weird-looking miniature denizen who runs a dance club; and David Bowie as the evil ruler of the forbidden city. That's some eclectic lineup--too bad they couldn't all click. Poor Madonna--even her animated voice-over efforts can't make the grade.

Direction

We all know how creative French filmmaker Luc Besson can be. His offbeat sensibilities can be seen in his tense crime dramas La Femme Nikita and The Professional, as well as his wildly imaginative sci-fi cult favorite The Fifth Element. But he's been taking a break from making his own films, producing and apparently writing children's books instead. Arthur and the Invisibles is his first directorial effort since the 1999 movie The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, and while it definitely taps into Besson's fanciful notions--which is probably even more evident in the novels--it doesn't necessarily translate as well to the big screen. Invisibles' animation is lush and there's a lot to look at, but it's almost too busy, while the tepid yet convoluted story drones on. Invisibles is definitely not adult-friendly.

Bottom Line

Hollywood.com rated this film 2 stars.

Movie

Arthur And The Invisibles

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2007-01-26 16:00:24

Provider

Review

French film director Luc Besson has a nice little sideline in children's books, one of which, Arthur and the Mimimoys, forms the basis for Arthur and the Invisibles, a computer animated film for kids who get their kicks from swordplay and sharp teeth. Adults posing as kids, in other words, unless the younger members of your family have seen their fair share of action movies.

Freddie Highmore (of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory/Finding Neverland fame) voices the part of 10-year-old Arthur, who attempts to save his grandmother (Mia Farrow) from financial ruin by unearthing a small fortune in rubies hidden within the kingdom of tiny people living in his garden with help from his missing grandfather's hidden messages and secret maps. To this end, he makes himself small, as you do, via a process involving a telescope, a full moon and a tribe of African warriors. The result? He looks like Billy Idol's inch-high son in drag.

None of which is fantastical enough to put off a stellar cast, chief among them Madonna – who voices a thousand-year-old teenage warrior princess –and Robert De Niro's diminutive king. But as might be expected of a film in which David Bowie makes an appearance as an evil wizard, Arthur and the Invisibles isn't quite as clever as it thinks it is, principally thanks to the stilted dialogue and the uninspiring animation. Strange, too, that while the film is rooted in the Sixties, the soundtrack comprises hip hop and disco.

If not quite as small as its characters, Arthur and the Invisibles isn't going to be one of the films for which Luc Besson will be remembered.