A MONSTER IN PARIS

With voices by Vanessa Paradis, Sean Lennon, Bob Balaban, Gad Elmaleh, Mathieu Chedid

Written by Bibo Bergeron, Stéphane Kazandjian
Directed by Bibo Bergeron

With the expectation of (3D) animated movies coming from the USA, this French slanted piece adds a slightly different and welcome sheen to things.

With a strong musical push, here the key players are a young man obsessed with cinema, his inventor friend, a talented singer and a power-hungry mayoral candidate. The film-fan accidentally ignites a chemical reaction which leads to the creation of a new creature. This “monster” becomes the focal point in all the lead characters' lives, especially when this misunderstood creature proves to have incredible singing talent. Taking him in as a masked performer at the club, this safety is threatened when the wannabe mayor sets out to hunt down this monster people have spotted around the city.

Set in 1910 with the streets of Paris flooded by the rising Seine river (set-up for a finale), the amazing architecture and mood of the city and the period is marvelously recreated, with the action, music and humour combining into a highly entertaining melting pot of family entertainment, with just that extra pinch of European sensibility that sets it apart from the usual Disney / Pixar faire.

4 / B
- Paul Blom

0 1 2 3 4 5 6
- A - B - C

A: Multiple Viewing Potential
B: Deserves Another Look
C: Once Should Suffice