It also brought into play his first foray into 3D, and I have to say despite some of the films shortcomings, in my view, the 3D here is the best I've seen since the blue people film, no not the Smurfs, Avatar.
Marty really kows how to move a camera and nothing is more startling than the opening shot when a panoramic view of Paris at night merges into the view inside of a working clock. I haven't seen a more startling opening than that in Fincher's Zodiac (I love those fireworks!)
So here we have a story about a little boy who lives in a clock, in a Paris railway station. In flashback we get to learn a little about his past and his relationship with his father. There are some lovely moments. We see the young boys friendship blossom with an orphan girl who has been taken in by an elderly propeirtor of a shop within the station, this young actress who plays the orphan has come a long way since Kick Ass and Let Me In.
Ben Kingsley (I'm not going to call him Sir because apparently he gets annoyed if you don't, and I think it's always fun to annoy a knight of the realm!) plays the elderly proprietor, and he does so very well. We learn more about this character as the film continues and learn that he was once a celebrated silent film-maker.
I greatly enjoyed the spectacle of the film and I have to say some of the sub characters seemed to hold my attention more than the main ones. Although the young actor playing the lead, did a great job, he was previously excellent in The Boy With The Striped Pyjamas, and in this you could truly believe that he wanted that notebook back!
Sacha Baron Cohen is superb as the station policeman, his romance with Emily Mortimer is beautifully realised. Cohen is a truly gifted physical comedian, and always seems to embody every character he plays. Richard Griffiths and Frances De La Tour make for a lovely couple also, their journey is warm and entertaining.
The film looks great but I was expecting more from it. The trailer would have us believe that this is almost a Narnia type of film, with children, fantasy, new worlds to discover. But it's not quite that.
The last half hour of the film felt a little bit self congratulatory to me, this almost feels like the film Scorsese would seek to make had he not already won his best director Oscar, as it seems to pander to the Academy with its lauding of the silent era, alongside numerous clips and explanation of the period.
I'm all for new generations to embrace the works of Keaton and Harold Lloyd etc. but at times this film seemed to veer into film lecture territory rather than film territory. It looks great and there is not a false note from any of the players but it left me a bit cold, as if I'd watched half of an amazing children's fantasy directed by one of the worlds greatest directors but then a documentary about the silent film era seemed to be shoehorned onto the end.
Perhaps a film I will appreciate more on repeat viewings. I think The Artist looks like a much better way of celebrating the silent era, by being a silent film itself rather than a history lesson about silent film.
Hugo gets 3 stars out of 5
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