Admirably blends animation and live-action and has a lot on offer for kids, though adults will probably yawn more than once at the predictable twists and turns of the plot.
Arthur and the Invisibles (2007)
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Reviews Counted:86
Fresh:18
Rotten:68
Average Rating:4.5/10
Consensus: Arthur wastes its big-name voice talent on a predictable script and substandard CG animation.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] for fantasy action and brief suggestive material.
Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins
Genre: Childrens
Theatrical Release:Jan 12, 2007 Wide
Box Office: $15,004,318
Synopsis: Director Luc Besson (THE FIFTH ELEMENT) tries his hand at a children's film with ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES. Based on a book, this adventure follows Arthur (Freddie Highmore) as he journeys in his... Director Luc Besson (THE FIFTH ELEMENT) tries his hand at a children's film with ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES. Based on a book, this adventure follows Arthur (Freddie Highmore) as he journeys in his own backyard to save his home from greedy land developers. When his grandfather disappears, Freddie follows a series of clues that lead him to the land of the Minimoys (aka the Invisibles). Arthur's entrance into their realm takes the film from live-action to computer animation, changing Arthur from a 10-year-old boy into one of the Minimoys. The elf-like people he encounters are so tiny that insects dwarf them. Their warrior princess (voiced by Madonna) is ready to ascend the throne of the tiny kingdom. But first she and Arthur must join forces to outwit the evil Malthazar (voiced by David Bowie), who is intent on destroying the kindhearted race. ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES boasts a cast of talented actors. Mia Farrow plays Arthur's concerned grandmother, which is quite a change from her malevolent nanny in THE OMEN. The trio of musicians-turned-actors (Madonna, Snoop Dogg, and Bowie) are all fun in their vocal roles, and Bowie particularly shines as the villain. Other standouts include Robert De Niro, Jimmy Fallon, Harvey Keitel, and Jason Bateman, while Highmore brings the same wide-eyed wonder to the screen as he did in CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. In fact, ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES shares a similar imaginative spirit with the works of Tim Burton and Roald Dahl. Though Besson's previous films have been adults-only fare like LA FEMME NIKITA, he brings a sense of childlike awe to this project. [More]
Starring: Robert De Niro, Snoop Dogg, Madonna, Freddie Highmore
Starring: Robert De Niro, Snoop Dogg, Madonna, Freddie Highmore, Mia Farrow, Jimmy Fallon, Jason Bateman, Harvey Keitel, Anthony Anderson, Chazz Palminteri
Director: Luc Besson
Director: Luc Besson
Screenwriter: Celine Garcia
Producer: Emmanuel Prevost
Composer: Eric Serra
Studio: Weinstein Company
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Release:
May 15, 2007
DVD Features:
- Keep Case
- Widescreen
Additional Release Material:
Music Video:
- 1. "Quest For Love" - Jewel
- 2. "Beautiful Day" - Elijah
Trailers:
- 1. The Chosen Trailer from the 'Make Your Own Arthur"
- 2. Theatrical Trailer
Featurette:
- 1. The Voices of Arthur and The Invisibles
- 2. In the Recording Studio with Jewel
Interactive Features:
Interactive Games:
- 1. Mash-Up Game
Reviews for Arthur and the Invisibles
The routine story and lack of real warmth make this a movie to endure with one's children, not to share with them.
Director Luc Besson admits he knew nothing about animation before he started this project, and it shows.
The bucolic wonder buried in Luc Besson's Arthur and the Invisibles has been snuffed out by this alienating and dislikable animated film. As overproduced and acrid as The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc and The Fifth Element.
Besson drags things out considerably for his young audience at 122 minutes. The CG work is clever but cannot measure up to Pixar's standards in cleverness or imagination. Nothing is fresh here.
[Actor Freddie] Highmore is sweetly exuberant, but the voice talent is uneven, and the only really clever bits find the CGI characters navigating real live foliage.
Arthur's frequent returns to reality break the mood and seem to serve little narrative purpose besides beefing up Farrow's role.
Luc Besson's Arthur and the Invisibles clears the smog left behind by the year's dubious family entertainments.
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