Generally speaking this will be very familiar to anyone who has watched an animated feature in the last twenty to thirty years, and 3D animated features specifically. The animation itself is crisp and smooth, and while it's not altogether remarkable there's plentiful detail throughout, especially in backgrounds and environments. The characters and the relationships between them are defined by classic archetypes; individual threads and the broad strokes of the narrative take their cues from other titles that have dabbled with fantasy, adventure, and light comedy. Yet for all those ways in which 'Un monstre à Paris,' or 'A monster in Paris,' may share kinship with its contemporaries and forebears, filmmaker Bibo Bergeron has nevertheless built it from the ground up with skill and intelligence, and meaningful heart and fun. This is pretty terrific!
Matthieu Chedid's score is just as rich and flavorful as one might hope of any similar fare, but the individual songs that he wrote to be sung as part of the storytelling - a staple of animation for decades now - are simply a joy. Bergeron also capitalizes on such moments to provide a bit more of an outright spectacle for the tale, to delightful results. To that point, more widely some shots and scenes are kind of brilliant and imaginative, showing that for all which this picture shares with its brethren, sharp wit is not least among the commonalities. 'Un monstre à Paris' is crafted above all with a mind for engaging escapades and good-natured humor, so there are plenty of scenes that fulfill either or both ends along the way as the plot takes shape of love, mishaps, heroism, and the appearance of an extraordinary creatures on the streets of the City of Lights. It's more pleasing still that while Emile and Raoul are primarily centered as protagonists, Lucille shows herself to be very independent and capable, more a leading lady than a damsel in distress.
I think the resolution of the climax, and the denouement to follow in the last minutes, gets a tad heavy-handed in the writing as everything is wrapped up. Setting that aside, I don't know if I could say that there's anything about this so singular as to demand viewership; it's solid and entertaining, but not necessarily something one needs to go out of their way to see. Even at that, there are no more substantive criticisms to come to mind, for Bergeron and his collaborators have made an enjoyable, satisfying animated movie that fits neatly among so many others of this type, and occupies a tier somewhere in the lower to upper middle. Anyway, there's hardly a rule that says every title has to be a proverbial lightning bolt; this is more than suitable to provide a good time, and that's all that it needs to be. Appropriate for all ages, I'm confident that 'Un monstre à Paris' is something that anyone could appreciate; it may not need to be a top priority, but if you do have the opportunity to watch it's worth checking out.
Matthieu Chedid's score is just as rich and flavorful as one might hope of any similar fare, but the individual songs that he wrote to be sung as part of the storytelling - a staple of animation for decades now - are simply a joy. Bergeron also capitalizes on such moments to provide a bit more of an outright spectacle for the tale, to delightful results. To that point, more widely some shots and scenes are kind of brilliant and imaginative, showing that for all which this picture shares with its brethren, sharp wit is not least among the commonalities. 'Un monstre à Paris' is crafted above all with a mind for engaging escapades and good-natured humor, so there are plenty of scenes that fulfill either or both ends along the way as the plot takes shape of love, mishaps, heroism, and the appearance of an extraordinary creatures on the streets of the City of Lights. It's more pleasing still that while Emile and Raoul are primarily centered as protagonists, Lucille shows herself to be very independent and capable, more a leading lady than a damsel in distress.
I think the resolution of the climax, and the denouement to follow in the last minutes, gets a tad heavy-handed in the writing as everything is wrapped up. Setting that aside, I don't know if I could say that there's anything about this so singular as to demand viewership; it's solid and entertaining, but not necessarily something one needs to go out of their way to see. Even at that, there are no more substantive criticisms to come to mind, for Bergeron and his collaborators have made an enjoyable, satisfying animated movie that fits neatly among so many others of this type, and occupies a tier somewhere in the lower to upper middle. Anyway, there's hardly a rule that says every title has to be a proverbial lightning bolt; this is more than suitable to provide a good time, and that's all that it needs to be. Appropriate for all ages, I'm confident that 'Un monstre à Paris' is something that anyone could appreciate; it may not need to be a top priority, but if you do have the opportunity to watch it's worth checking out.