by Ryan Ocular, Guest Reviewer

Hugo is a superb film that offers more than viewers might expect. You would expect it to be about Hugo and his adventure to get an automaton working. However, the movie heads into an unexpected arc as captivating as Hugo’s. To avoid spoiling the magic of the film, I will refrain from exposing it. There is also a note of concern for parents as the second arc becomes serious and dark. I would suggest this film for 9 year olds and older so they can understand and appreciate it more. Nonetheless, it is a masterful movie experience.

Set in Paris in the 1930’s, Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield – The Boy in the Striped Pajamas) is an orphan who lives in a Paris train station where he keeps the clocks running. In his spare time, he steals food in the station while avoiding the station inspector (Sascha Baron Cohen – Ali G, Borat, Bruno) who enjoys sending orphans to the orphanage. Hugo also tends to the only memento of his father (Jude Law –Sherlock Holmes), an automaton they were fixing together before he died. He fixes it with parts that he steals from a toy shop in the station, hoping to see a message that his father left behind. One day, Hugo is caught red-handed by an old man who owns the shop who forces Hugo to empty his pockets. Amongst the items that are taken by the old shopkeeper is Hugo’s precious notebook filled with drawings and descriptions of the automation. Hugo’s desperation in getting the notebook back involves him encountering the old man’s goddaughter, Isabelle (Chloe Moretz – Kick Ass) where they both embark on an emotional adventure that affects everyone surrounding them.

Hugo is visually artistic, with beautiful imagery of Paris and the focal setting of the movie, a Paris train station. Hugo is filled with many sweeping shots that help to paint the scene and with the help of 3D, immerse you into the story. The 3D is phenomenal and it’s obvious each shot was carefully thought out to ensure that it aided in telling the story rather than being a gimmick. This is especially true in scenes in the train station where depth of the busy crowds adds life to the scene.

Overall:

Hugo is an experience that will leave you breathless. The cinematic storytelling is absolutely phenomenal from the cinematography, to the acting, score, and 3D. It was done in a captivating way where it told an engrossing story with character developments and detail that many books achieve but films usually seem to miss.

ComicsOnline gives Hugo – 5 out of 5 contemporary masterpieces.

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