Walmart has been doing something really good recently. They’ve been selling movies from different countries like Japan, Russia, England, and France. Hollywood makes great movies but it’s always great to see what other countries are making. I’m going to be reviewing a film from France from director Luc Besson.
Made in 2010 but just recently domestically distributed by Shout Factory, The Extrodinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec is about the famous Early 20th Century French explorer Adele (played by Louise Bourgoin) who is away in Egypt. She’s trying to find an ancient mummified doctor to bring back to her physics-studying friend Esperandieu (played by Jacky Nercessian). Esperandieu is an old man who’s able to bring things back from the dead using a special technique. However, the creatures he brings back have to be ancient organisms, and in preparation for Adele, he brings a baby pterodactyl back from the grave. While Esperandieu can control the beast for a while, it sometimes escapes his control and runs amuck. The French police, led by the always-hungry inspecteur Albert Caponi (played by Gilles Lellouche), must stop this prehistoric beast. Adele must come back from Egypt to tame the beast and protect her friend and beast from the police and a crazed hunter.
This film is based on a French comic book series of the same name, which has been in print for a long time. This film and the series have their tongues in their cheeks as the film is nothing but fun. Everyone who has worked in this film seems to be having a ball while making it, and it really rubs off on the viewer. The film looks like a modern adventure film with the medium lighting and music that isn’t trying to be goofy.
While I’ve never read the original comics, it’s refreshing to see a film based off something be fun and lighthearted. This film embraces the fact that it’s ridiculous and doesn’t even try to hide it or take itself seriously, as seen by the movies cover. They decided to have Adele riding the pterodactyl on the cover, which made me pick it up. It seems like something that everyone’s “kid inside” will enjoy.
There are only a couple of reasons why you wouldn’t like it. Since it’s a foreign film it’s dubbed which bugs some people since it always looks off. The second problem is the premise itself…If the summary didn’t bring you in then nothing will. There is also a problem with the ending as it feels like a sequel that was stapled on when they actually needed twenty more minutes. It feels like a complete content shift and quite jarring if you don’t immediately adjust.
This film comes highly recommended if you want to see something fun and cheerful. It’s a very well made film from Luc Besson who also did “The Fifth Element”. It’s rare to see a film where everyone enjoys what they’re doing and don’t just act goofy.