"Arthur and the Great Adventure" (The Scotsman 24/12/10)

Arthur and the Great Adventure (PG) **
Directed by: Luc Besson
Starring: Freddie Highmore, Mia Farrow

Even those generous enough to have rescued 2007’s part-animated Arthur and the Invisibles from a DVD bargain bin would likely concede there wasn’t much call for a sequel. Here’s one, anyway, intended as the centre part of a trilogy – already, you can see the dust settling on the box-set. Highmore’s Arthur receives another missive from the troll-like Minimoys, alerting him to renewed danger: old nemesis Maltazard has plans to manifest in the “real” world. Warning: the latter’s adopted human face – think Vincent Price with leprosy – might well disturb sensitive parents, let alone children.

While the live-action evokes Besson’s usual faux-Americana, the animation plumps for manic spectacle, voiced by credibility-shedding musicians on the hunt for easy money. Aboard the bandwagon this time: Iggy Pop (as a grunting henchman), will.i.am and Fergie, in the unlikely event anybody needed more Black Eyed Peas in their life. Most dismaying for some will be hearing Lou Reed as the voice of Maltazard, mouthing such apposite lines as “I was once a warrior… Now look at me – a ghost of my former self.” That Leonard Cohen/Wiggles collaboration can now only be a matter of time.

Arthur and the Great Adventure opens in cinemas nationwide tomorrow.