BELLEVILLE RENDEZVOUS

METRO TARTAN

RELEASED 5 September 2003

As a young boy, Champion is encouraged by his grandmother to take up cycling, and years later he is taking part in the Tour de France. However, two men in black kidnap Champion and take him to Belleville, from where his grandmother and Champions’ dog Bruno must rescue him.

This is a beautifully animated film from a talented director called Sylvain Chomet. The creativity involved that makes up the eighty minutes of celluloid is remarkable, each frame being a piece of artwork. Computer lighting and 3D animation techniques are seamlessly blended into the 2D animation. Unfortunately, the main characters are unsympathetic. It says something when the dog has the most expressive face. There are lovely details in the film like the railway bridge which is virtually attached to their house, from where Bruno barks at every passing train from the window. But it all seems very self-indulgent. The story itself is fine, but there’s not one character to emphasise with. 

TWO OUT OF FIVE