Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here. In one of the talkbacks yesterday, someone reminded me that Luc Besson is “retired” from directing. Not that I needed reminding, since the decision bugs me every time his name comes up. Obviously, I don’t want anyone to feel like they have to make a film if they’re not inspired, but I miss Besson. There was a time when he was working regularly, and it was always exciting to see what he would come up with next. Knowing that all he plans to do from now on is produce and co-write action movies is a bit disheartening, and I hope he reconsiders. In the meantime, ARTHUR & THE MINIMOYS and ANGEL-A represent the last two films of his that will be released in the States, with ARTHUR landing very soon. Any good? Here’s what Marius, a longtime Besson fan, had to say:
Hi Harry & Crew! I haven't seen a review for "Arthur and the Minimoys", (I refuse to use the US title. Invisibles has nothing to do with the movie.), so here's my go at it. Luc Besson's latest (and last ever?) film as a director is ready to hit the screens, and I attended an industry screening here in Norway. Just so people know where I come from; I started a fan-site dedicated to Luc Besson 12 years ago, and "The Big Blue", "Leon" and "The Fifth Element" are among my all-time favourite movies. The movie start with Arthur (Freddy Highmore) celebrating his 10th birthday together with his Grandmother (Fay Dunaway). Arthur's parents are prevented from showing up, but Arthur and his Grandmother makes the best of it anyway. The celebration is interrupted by a visit from the sleazy Davido (Adam LeFevre) who wants take over the property. The only way to stop this is for Arthur to search for his missing Grandfather's lost treasure. While searching through his Grandfather's antiques, Arthur finds out how to get in touch with the Minimoys, a tooth-sized people that Arthur's Grandfather met on one of his expeditions. With a help of a "magic" device, Arthur is transformed into a Minimoy, and enters their underground kingdom. This is where the animated parts of the movie start. The "new" Arthur teems up with the King's son, the 300-year old Betameche, and daughter, the 1000-year old Princess Selenia to search for treasure. The treasure is in the possession of the evil Maltazard who threatens to flood the world of the Minimoys. Together with Princess Selenia and Betameche, Arthur must find the treasure and stop Maltazard from being supreme ruler of the Seven Kingdoms. The live-action parts and the animated parts of the film separate. There are only a couple of instances where we see animated characters interact with the live action world. The CG animation is very beautiful and well done, but there are a few (but just a few) places where it could be improved. Arthur's parents only appear for a couple of minutes, and they do their best to destroy those minutes with their over-the-top hysteria. The only other negative thing I noticed was the inclusion of Snoop Dogg's character Max. The problem isn't Snoop Dogg, but there animated character he portrays. Both he, and a scene at a disco, works fine, but it doesn't really belong with rest of the story. Don't let this stop you though. There isn't a dull moment in the movie. The voice actors (Highmore, Madonna, Ron Crawford, David Bowie and Robert De Niro) work great and Eric Serra's score suits the movie well. When the animated characters are above the ground, their surroundings are animated as well. The animated Minimoy world has its own distinct look and feel, but on a few instances the camera moves from the real world to the Minimoy world in a smooth fashion. It looks fantastic even though you can see the change. When you see the movie, don't leave the theatre before you have seen the end credits. Luc Besson as a Minimoy got a laugh from an otherwise dull industry (and press) crowd at the screening I attended. Hope you like the movie, I certainly loved it!
