The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn begins subtly, leaning in and whispering a promise of grand events, while also introducing the uninitiated to Hergé’s beautiful world and boyish protagonist. Tintin is an old school adventure ride; unafraid to have an infallible hero shoot a gun without aiming, or break into a house when really he’s meant to be an impartial newspaper reporter. With an immeasurable capacity for getting into and out of trouble, what more could your inner child ask for?

Tintin purchases a beautiful model tall ship at a market, but is approached moments later by two men suspiciously interested in it. When the model disappears from his apartment, he knows there must be something going on and begins to unabashedly investigate. Along with his trusty sidekick terrier, Snowy, he uncovers a mystery that will inevitably result in kidnappings, mutiny and adrenaline pumping opera.

Stunning animation, clever transitions and wonderful voice acting will surely leave you beaming, as Spielberg must have as this film came together. The choice not to do a live-action take on the story pays off time and again with extravagant flair. The amount of care that went into aesthetics, rendered attempts at 3D near-worthless, but how often is that not the case?

Also remember that, like Scooby Doo cartoons, Tintin has a penchant for a particular style of ending. Unfortunately, the traditional fake or double ending undermines the sense of tension or pace after the climax. With so much energy up until that point, it’s a wonder that anyone wouldn’t feel a bit let down in the last five minutes. Even so, this film lovingly renews an old idea in the same way that Super 8 managed to, suggesting that a lack of novelty can be made up for with consideration for the source material. The Secret of the Unicorn, in its triple masted, double decked, 50 gunned glory, will fight its way into hearts and reinvigorate a love for Hergé’s work all over again.