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Threatened by a foreclosure of the property of his grandparents, Arthur (Freddie Highmore) decides
to protect his Granny (Mia Farrow) by searching for the treasure that his grandfather allegedly buried in their yard before he disappeared.
From a book, he learns about an African tribe who were helped with an irrigation system devised by his grandfather and also about the Minimoys, minuscule creatures measuring 10th of an inch and described as smaller than a blade of grass, rendering them almost invisible. From his own ingenuity and with the help of a group of African tribesmen, he enters the magical land of the Minimoys, meets the King (voiced by Robert de Niro), his daughter Princess Selenia (voiced by Madonna), and his son Betamech (voiced by Jimmy Fallon). He learns that the treasure is kept by an evil wizard, Maltazard (voiced by David Bowie). The trio – Arthur, Selenia, and Betamech – start their valiant quest for the hidden treasure and in the process, Arthur discovers his missing grandfather. Meanwhile, Arthur's parents (Penny Balfour and Doug Rand) arrive in Granny's house and learn of Arthur's disappearance and of the imminent forfeiture of Granny's home. Will Arthur be able to return to the Kentucky household before the two-day grace period stipulated by the bank? How will he recover the treasure and what will happen to his invisible friends?
Touted as "one of the most expensive effects driven films of 2007", Arthur and the Invisibles
is a hodge-podge of characters and themes from Peter Pan, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter although definitely not in the same league. Credit should be
given to the visual effects and animation team for the computer generated, fast-paced scenes.
To imagine a daffodil as a cozy bed for invisible creatures who can also sail aboard a tube on a stream helps enkindle a reverence for the environment and ecological concern among the young. However, what could have been a charming fairy tale material for children is lost in a spate of violence and scary characters befitting a horror film. There are snags in the story such as the unexplained appearances of African tribesmen giving directions to Arthur on how to enter the land of the Minimoys, suprising his parents as they were digging for the treasure, and again their
deus ex machina appearance when the greedy developer has threatened to shoot the family towards the end of the film. The plot also suffers from inconsistencies such as the sudden shift of characterization from a 10-year old boy's innocent adventure to a love relationship with Pricess Selenia in Minimoy land.
The petulant Selenia and the materialistic parents of Arthur are no role models for
children. Selenia rudely snaps at her brother and curses the enemy ("I hope he burns in hell."). The parents of Arthur have been negligent of him as evident from the
boy's account of his loneliness when he was sent to a boarding house for a year in England. Their concern for the missing Arthur took a backseat as they buckled down to dig
the backyard in search of the buried treasure. But there are redeeming features of the film such as the love of Granny for Arthur; Arthur's concern to protect Granny and
his determination to save her property. It was Arthur who gave hope to the disheartened Minimoys and his grandfather, reminding them that what is important is that they are
alive and they have each other. When his grandfather advised Arthur, Selenia, and Betamech to pray for a miracle as they come to face the destructive fury of Maltazard,
Arthur proved that by working for a creative solution to a problem and through the power of imagination, miracles indeed are possible.
(Date Reviewed: 26 January 2007)
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