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| Hugo (Asa Buttefield) and Isabelle (Chloe Moretz) unlock the magical secrets of a metal man. |
There are some sights too mesmerizing that us audiences aren’t even worthy of seeing. Iconic director, Martin Scorsese, has certainly gifted audiences such a fantastic sight in Hugo, based on the 2007 novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. Hugo follows the tale of a titular orphan (Asa Butterfield) who runs the clocks at a Parisian train station, full of lively characters. The young boy finds himself on an adventure throughout Paris, when he attempts to uncover a message left in the gears of a broken automaton by his deceased father. Hugo teams up a toy booth operator’s granddaughter (Chloe Moretz) looking for the truth.
Despite being his first family-targeted project, Scorsese directs the film as if he has done this time and time again. Hugo is a flawless addition to an already legendary directorial resume, captivating audiences for a good two hours of masterfully shot sequences. Scorsese spends much time perfecting every frame, focusing on the sharply high and low angles to visually unfold the narrative.
That coupled with authentic art direction that captures an energetic train station from the early twentieth century makes Hugo a visual treat from open to close. From claustrophobic spaces in station clock towers to an expansive station and even larger Paris backdrop, Scorsese constructs beauty from what could simply be simplicity in the minds of many other creative directors.
Asa Butterfield as the titular character, Hugo, is phenomenal and the young actor handles the lead performance quite genuinely. He has the ability to convey authentic and diverse expressions, nudging the audience to feel exactly what he feels at any time in the film. Chloe Moretz is equally as impressive as the adventure seeking, book loving, granddaughter who gets caught up in Hugo’s adventure. After stand-out performances in Kick-Ass and Let Me In, Moretz continues to make a name for herself and this role only betters her craft as an actress. The rest of the ensemble meshes together as well as the gears in one of Hugo’s clocks. From Ben Kingsley to Christopher Lee to Sacha Baron Cohen and Helen McCrory and Emily Mortimer, everyone ticks in his or her unique way. Sacha Baron Cohen surprisingly stands out as the awkward station inspector, who still emulates many quirks from his Borat character. Jude Law and Ray Winstone are also in Hugo, but are more cameos if anything. Though for the little screen time Law and Winstone both have, they are both crucial components to Hugo’s past.
Hugo will definitely be a tough sell as this is a much more intellectual family film than its cheap slapstick competition. The film demands over two hours of patience, which some younger children might not have, but cinemaphiles will forget the lengthy running time to admire Hugo’s beauty. The two hours speed by incredibly fast as long as it’s not thought about. For anyone with an appreciation for early filmmaking, the final act explores that sometimes forgotten era as legacies and love are forged through moviemaking.
And to my surprise, the 3D used in Hugo is for the most part, seamless. It’s a breath of fresh air for 3D to be used any nothing popping out consistently, with the exception of a swinging pendulum here or there and snow trickling down over the expanse of Paris. And unlike many 3D films, Hugo is brightly lit with an absence of the usual dismal 3D viewing.
Scorsese gives audiences the ultimate thrill ride of not only the holiday, but possibly in recent memory. This is a film that simply cannot be ignored if one’s looking for a feel-good, family film. But it’s more than just that; like the initial days of cinema, Hugo is a piece of art that one looks at in amazement, awe and take in every facet of its marvel.
GRADE: A+ (10/10)This review is also available on Blu-Ray.com
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