One the most underrated and underwatched movies of 2012, Tintin probably suffered from fear of the “uncanny valley,” the creepy name for the creepy feeling we get when CGI humans look too real. It initially unnerved me, too, but my love for Hergé’s original comic books about a young investigative journalist, his terrier Snowy, and a drunk ship’s captain named Haddock forced me to see what Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson would do with the iconic characters. And, wow, what they did. Stunning visuals, rollicking action, boisterous humor and a classic adventure story all reminded me of the Indiana Jones movies. Luckily, while Americans didn’t embrace the film, the rest of the world made it a massive hit, and a sequel is certainly to follow. Added bonus: Wondering if there’s a homoerotic subtext to Tintin and Captain Haddock’s friendship.
