Adventure is out there this Christmas weekend, and not just the high-tech gadgetry and stunts found in the latest “Mission: Impossible” film.

The first of two Steven Spielberg movies this holiday season, “The Adventures of Tintin” is a motion-capture thrill ride with the energy and fun of Spielberg’s Indiana Jones franchise and the Saturday morning serial-adventures that originally inspired “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Spielberg’s much more serious film, “War Horse,” opens Christmas Day.

Based on the world-famous comic series by Herge, “Tintin” follows the exploits of a young reporter and his faithful dog, Snowy. This story introduces Tintin (Jamie Bell) to the perpetually drunk Captain Haddock (motion-capture king Andy Serkis), who is the last limb in a family tree of heroes and adventurers. Together they hope to find the secret treasure of The Unicorn, the legendary ship captained by Haddock’s famous ancestor, Sir Francis. Only cryptic clues, thousands of miles and the nefarious Sakharine (Daniel Craig) stand in their way.

“Tintin” is wall-to-wall action, with fist fights, shootouts and chases by land, air and sea. It’s a bit relentless, save for some lighter moments with bumbling police officers Thomson and Thompson (the dynamic duo of Nick Frost and Simon Pegg). Luckily, Spielberg knows his way around large scale set pieces, and the motion-capture allows him to move the camera through complicated action sequences that would be impossible in live-action. (more…)