The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec

A whimsical, exposition-spouting narrator is something English speaking audiences have come to think of as de rigueur in French cinema, possibly in the same way the French assume every American movie is narrated by Morgan Freeman. Nevertheless the opening narration of The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec sets the tone for this light, charming tale of a vintage Parisian tomb raider, circa 1912, grave robbing and resurrecting an Egyptian mummy in the hopes of saving her comatose sister. Throw in a freshly hatched pterodactyl and you have a fun fable, rife with humour but overcooked on the kookiness. Based on the popular Jacques Tardi comic book, Luc Besson’s first live-action stint in the director’s chair since 2005 isn’t necessarily a return to form, but the stunningly beautiful Louise Bourgoin’s mesmerising performance as Adèle is the film’s saving grace. Using both her sense of humour and coquettish twinkle she will entice audiences young and old, although, admittedly, for very different reasons.

 Read The Skinny's review of this film's DVD release here.