Besson's labour of love is a feast for the eyes but leaves the imagination distinctly undernourished.
Arthur and the Invisibles (2007)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:86
Fresh:18
Rotten:68
Average Rating:4.5/10
Consensus: Arthur wastes its big-name voice talent on a predictable script and substandard CG animation.
Rated: U [See Full Rating] for fantasy action and brief suggestive material.
Runtime: 1 hr 43 mins
Genre: Childrens
Theatrical Release:02-02-2007
Synopsis: Director Luc Besson (THE FIFTH ELEMENT) tries his hand at a children's film with ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES. Based on a book, this adventure follows Arthur (Freddie Highmore) as he journeys in his... Director Luc Besson (THE FIFTH ELEMENT) tries his hand at a children's film with ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES. Based on a book, this adventure follows Arthur (Freddie Highmore) as he journeys in his own backyard to save his home from greedy land developers. When his grandfather disappears, Freddie follows a series of clues that lead him to the land of the Minimoys (aka the Invisibles). Arthur's entrance into their realm takes the film from live-action to computer animation, changing Arthur from a 10-year-old boy into one of the Minimoys. The elf-like people he encounters are so tiny that insects dwarf them. Their warrior princess (voiced by Madonna) is ready to ascend the throne of the tiny kingdom. But first she and Arthur must join forces to outwit the evil Malthazar (voiced by David Bowie), who is intent on destroying the kindhearted race. ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES boasts a cast of talented actors. Mia Farrow plays Arthur's concerned grandmother, which is quite a change from her malevolent nanny in THE OMEN. The trio of musicians-turned-actors (Madonna, Snoop Dogg, and Bowie) are all fun in their vocal roles, and Bowie particularly shines as the villain. Other standouts include Robert De Niro, Jimmy Fallon, Harvey Keitel, and Jason Bateman, while Highmore brings the same wide-eyed wonder to the screen as he did in CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. In fact, ARTHUR AND THE INVISIBLES shares a similar imaginative spirit with the works of Tim Burton and Roald Dahl. Though Besson's previous films have been adults-only fare like LA FEMME NIKITA, he brings a sense of childlike awe to this project. [More]
Starring: Robert De Niro, Snoop Dogg, Madonna, Freddie Highmore
Starring: Robert De Niro, Snoop Dogg, Madonna, Freddie Highmore, Mia Farrow, Jimmy Fallon, Jason Bateman, Harvey Keitel, Anthony Anderson, Chazz Palminteri
Director: Luc Besson
Director: Luc Besson
Screenwriter: Celine Garcia
Producer: Emmanuel Prevost
Composer: Eric Serra
Studio: Weinstein Company
Reviews for Arthur and the Invisibles
In a clear-cut case of arrested development, the film that crowns Luc Besson's career is a magical phantasmagoria for the kids, and a derivative mess for their parents.
Looks like European animation is still light years behind the US and Japan. Thank goodness for Highmore and Farrow — if only the whole film had been live-action.
Here is an overproduced, oversugared semi-animated children's fantasy adventure from Luc Besson that made me want to cringe into my plush seat, never to re-emerge.
Several parts of the narrative don't gel, feeling designed simply to look cool or sound funny.
Luc Besson’s half-baked live-action/animated fantasy looks like it was invented on the hoof: it’s erratically plotted, poorly animated, overly derivative and too insufferably cute to interest anyone above undemanding toddler age.
Brightly coloured fantasy adventure with a decent premise, but the animated sections don't really work, despite the efforts of a talented cast.
Arthur and the Invisibles has a story so psychedelic that each movie ticket purchased should also include a black light poster and some incense. Kids weaned on the likes of Pixar and Shrek won't know what to make of it.
There's no time to sort out the players or the story as things rush ahead at an overwrought pace. Huge amounts of backstory are just plopped down in front of us, so fast and furiously that it makes little sense.
A mishmash with a distinctive but disorderly animation palette whose top-notch voice cast -- including Robert De Niro, Madonna and David Bowie -- gets lost in the muck.
The story is just incoherent, and the faster it moves, the more frantic it seems.
[Arthur and the Invisibles is] a film for kids who want to know what headaches feel like.
The movie bing-bing-bings all over the place, repurposing fantasy novels, video games, Arthurian legends. Besson's grocery bill for all I know. Even the musical score has multiple-personality disorder.
Oh, what a dreaded Pandora’s Box has been opened by the success of the Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings franchises.
They look like a cross between anime and Jim Henson puppets. Fortunately, they look nothing like Pixar, PDI, Sony Animation or any of the other talking animal companies.
Luc Besson has never been one of my favorite filmmakers, but he seems to have found his metier in children's fantasy, and this semianimated adventure is enjoyable and imaginative despite its formulaic qualities.
There are too many things out of whack here, and too many unanswered questions.
This mix of computer animation and live action promises much but never really comes together. Haphazard voice dubbing and lack of originality don't help.
Latest News for Arthur and the Invisibles
January 10, 2008:
Box Office Guru Preview: Captain Jack and Captain Morgan Set Sail
For the first time in three weeks, studios will pack a Friday with plenty of new releases as four films open or expand nationwide giving the box office chart a major shakeup.... More...
July 30, 2007:
Frank Miller Faults Weinsteins for Sin City 2 Delay
While sitting on a Comic Con panel, Frank Miller was asked about the hold-up on Sin City 2. (Numerous times, probably.) And it looks like the celebrated author / artist /... More...
March 19, 2007:
Rolling Stones Get Animated With "Ruby Tuesday"
Back in the psychedelic '60s, The Beatles got animated for the film "Yellow Submarine." Four decades later, it's the competition's turn. The Rolling Stones have... More...
January 15, 2007:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: "Stomp" Steps All Over New Releases
Stomping into the number one spot over the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend was the college dance drama "Stomp the Yard," which grossed an estimated $22M in... More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 67% 67% | Public Enemies |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 95% 95% | The Cove |
| 85% 85% | World's Greatest Dad |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Arthur and the Invisibles at Rotten Tomatoes
- Arthur and the Invisibles at IGN
- Arthur and the Invisibles at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

