Given the lack of threads on this topic, I am guessing that there aren't a lot of Tintin fans around these parts. So, starting one in the hope that it generates a lot of talk on everybody's favorite reporter...

I am one of the millions of people who have grown up with Tintin. It is an inseparable part of my childhood, and needless to say, I have been looking forward to the film like a 10-year old ever since it was first announced. I was initially apprehensive about the quality of the adaptation, but the trailer and live-action, motion-capture animation made me overlook my initial fears. Now that the film has been released (U.S. release date is 21st December, I think), I can say that it is about as perfect a screen-adaptation as fans could've expected.

It featured the same brand of quirky, off-beat humor that has since become a hallmark of the series, and it also captured the ambience of the comic books in a way that I didn’t think was possible. There were scenes where it almost felt like the comic book images were leaping directly off the pages of the book. In addition to that, the characters have all been vividly realized from the perspicacious Tintin to the playful but loyal Snowy to the fiery yet kind-at-heart Captain Haddock to the blabbering, funny but always-meaning-business Thomson and Thompson.

Story-wise, it borrows plot from The Secret of the Unicorn and The Crab with Golden Claws, but the over-arching plot is mainly from the former. The latter is there to give insight into the history between Tintin and Captain Haddock for newcomers. I felt that the screenplay was suitably tight, and although it had numerous threads running together, it never felt convoluted; or maybe that is just the Tintin fan in me speaking. The writing wass suitably witty and has just enough “Blistering Barnacles”, “Ten Thousand Thundering Typhoons”, “Great Snakes”, “To be precise…”, “Thomson, without a P…,” and “Thompson, with a P…” to please Tintin fans but not too much that they become overused. Not to mention the action/adventure portions were spectacular.

Voice-overs were pretty much flawless. Jamie Bell's adolescent voice was perfectly suited to bring out Tintin's curious nature and boyish charm. Andy Serkis has made a habit out of providing us with spectacular animated characters, and I felt that his gruff voice suited the role of Captain Haddock to a T. Daniel Craig was menacing in his role as Sakharine/Red Rackham. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost brought their chemistry to animation as well. Each time Thomson and Thompson came on screen, laughs were guaranteed.

With 2011 being a below-par year for animation films in general, I fee that Tintin is a shoe-in to win the Best Animated Picture award at the 2012 Oscars. Whether it be the crowded marketplace of Brussels or the spine-tingling swordfight between Red Rackham and Sir Francis Haddock or the breathtaking motor chase through Bagghar, the quality of the animation is evident in each frame of the film. Also, what surprised me was the quality of the 3D in the film. The difference in quality with this being an original 3D film is discernible. I felt that this was one of those films where it would be worth paying extra for the added dimension, especially if you have kids.

As a hardcore Tintin reader, I would unabashedly recommend this film to everyone by giving it 4 out of 4 stars. This is one of those films where I cannot speak as a plain film-buff since Tintin is too close to me, but even as an animated film, it is definitely worth a watch; though adult, Tintin non-fans might not appreciate it as much as kids do.

reviews have been pretty great so far

Haven't seen the movie yet. But I really look forward to it. The original Hergé Titntin comics are very mid-20th century European (even though many an adventure includes traveling to exotic places) - with loving and keen attention to every little detail (including exact renderings of contemporary buildings, cars, ships, planes, clothing, tech stuff, etc.) and stereotypical characters which don't exist anymore as we speak, but are fondly rembered. But the point of view is decidedly European. I have read all the original hard cover comic books many times. I am not 100% sure if it works in the US. I really hope it does. Hergé was a genius IMHO.
I look forward to watching the movie ASAP.

'relentless action?' sounds pretty american to me. we aren't exactly talking about Kieslowski here. Dec is a perfect time for it.

from variety

That just about sums it up. There is a lot of action and and yes, at times, it does feel relentless. But as a Tintin fan, I could also appreciate the overall attention to detail that ensured that the spirit of the comic books was captured. There are numerous nods to the source material even during moments of heavy action that I was completely captivated by the film. As I said in my original post, Tintin non-fans but film-buffs will definitely not enjoy it as much Tintin fans and kids do. This is definitely no Toy Story with something for both adults and kids. There are moments of levity here and there but, for the most part, this is a swashbuckling adventure that rivals the best in the genre.

Thanks for the thoughts, Balaji. I read a little of Tintin when I was younger but it didn't make the same impression on me. Spielberg's adaptation sounds intriguing for a number of reasons so it's great to finally read some "real" thoughts about the finished product. I do wonder how audiences will react to the material. Suppose Spielberg's name will draw them in.