An insect with big ideas but little bite
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A Monster In Paris (U, 89 mins)
Animation/Musical/Romance/Comedy. Featuring the voices of
Adam Goldberg, Jay Harrington, Vanessa Paradis, Sean Lennon, Danny
Huston. Director: Bibo Bergeron.
A giant flea nurtures a passion for music in Bibo Bergeron's
computer-animated fable that teaches us to never judge a wingless,
blood-sucking parasite by its spiny legs or hairy abdomen.
A Monster In Paris puts a colourful, Gallic spin on the classic
fairytale of Beauty And The Beast, using the power of song to bring
together two characters who are a world (and species) apart.
Bergeron demonstrates a light touch, providing some decent
laughs and energetic set pieces despite a flimsy script that
stretches the narrative and romantic subplots too thinly.
Themes of tolerance and compassion are loudly addressed so that
young audiences will understand the true monsters here are the
power-hungry men who feed off the fear and paranoia of the
public.
"When people are frightened, they need protection, they need a
saviour... in short, they need me," snarls the film's moustachioed
villain as he plots the manipulation of voters for personal
gain.
However, good must ultimately vanquish doubt and despair, set to
a jaunty soundtrack of original music composed by Matthieu Chedid
and sung by Sean Lennon and Vanessa Paradis.
The year is 1910 and Paris has been ravaged by floods, leading
to the construction of rickety wooden bridges to allow the city's
denizens to traverse the bloated Seine.
Cinema projectionist Emile (Jay Harrington) agrees to help truck
driver Raoul (Adam Goldberg) make a delivery to a gargantuan
greenhouse owned by a scientist.
Raoul forces his way inside and begins fooling around with test
tubes of strange liquid.
There is a massive explosion and the resulting cloud of gases
causes a flea to mutate to hulking proportions.
The insect bounds across the city until it finds an unlikely
ally and musical companion in cabaret chanteuse Lucille (Vanessa
Paradis) at the L'Oiseau Rare nightclub.
Together, Lucille and the heavily disguised insect, who is
christened Franc (Sean Lennon), become the talk of the French
capital with their infectious renditions.
When bumbling police commissioner Maynott (Danny Huston), who
hopes to win Lucille's affections, discovers his rival is a
monstrous insect, he decides to secure his re-election by slaying
the beast.
"He may be a giant flea but he wouldn't hurt a fly," protests
Lucille.
A Monster In Paris is an effervescent and entertaining
confection that makes use of the 3D format in the action sequences,
following Raoul's truck as it careens through the capital's
boulevards.
Characters' back stories are overlooked for the sake of
expediency but a little more meat on some of their
computer-generated bones would certainly help.
Maynott is a lacklustre villain who never seriously threatens
the safety of his prey.
Vocal performances are solid and the film really sparks to life
when Franc grabs a guitar to provide musical accompaniment for
Lucille's toe-tapping ditties.
The flea got Glee.
:: Swearing :: No sex :: Violence :: Rating: 6/10
To find local screenings for A Monster In Paris, click
here.
Wednesday, January 25 2012
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