A Monster in Paris is just what it says on the tin: an eccentric, lovable children’s film which will leave you singing the Parisian tunes as you exit from the cinema.

Rewind to 1910 during the great flood of Paris, the Eiffel Tower looms out of the mist, and the French are enjoying boating around their Venice-inspired town. A Monster in Paris follows the story of shy projectionist Emile (Jay Harrington) and his loyal pal Raoul (Adam Goldberg) as they find themselves mixed up in an adventure after visiting a manic inventor friend and combining potions to accidentally create a monster out of a flea. The outcast insect causes widespread hysteria in the Parisian citizens, and thus stalks the rooftops of Paris before French starlet Lucille (Vanessa Paradis) takes pity on the lonely giant. Haunted and misunderstood, the monster (so called Francouer) is a talented musician, and in the midst of the ‘monster-hunt’, Francouer and Lucille share a bewitching double act. In a Beauty-and-the-Beast-esque twist, the villain of the film holds a torch for the heroine and therefore as the three protagonists attempt to hide the gentle insect , chaos ensues.

The film is dubbed from the original French version, and this explains the movie’s Euro feel; at times the English-language work is also incredibly distracting. One wonders who the film is aimed at - it is not nearly witty enough for adults, but the romantic sub-plots are strangely obscure for children.

The story is at times bland and the pace too slow, but that said, there are enough weird highlights to propel it along, even when it’s gearing up for the predictable ending at the Eiffel Tower. As in all animations, the details are what makes the film; from the absurd monkey who speaks in notecards, to the beautifully animated rain-swept Paris. The tale avoids sentimentality, but does stir up your emotions - never before has a film managed to make you empathise so powerfully with a flea.

It is perfectly agreeable family entertainment, but not exactly original. Children spoilt on Pixar’s greatest creations (Toy Story, Up, Finding Nemo) may be slightly bored.