We watched The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec the other night: I had been looking forward to it coming out but when it did, life was chaotic and so I’ve not seen it until now. I was intrigued when I heard a couple papers on the film at the comics conference in Glasgow. I’m happy to say it was great fun and I enjoyed it immensely. No, it doesn’t quite capture the unsmiling drily funny investigating journalist, but filmmakers can’t seem to accept a woman who is plain and unsmiling — no she must be gorgeous and flashing those pearly whites all the time.

Nonetheless, Luc Besson does a good job with translating Tardi’s iconic heroine to the screen. Louise Bourgoin may be lovely, but she also embodies Adèle with a fearless disregard for other people’s opinions and actions that the original would approve of for certain. The plight of her sister is meant to feminise her, but I *love* the tennis match between them!

The rendering of the characters is terrific. Fans of the BD will instantly recognise them and they manage to be at once cartoonish and yet within the realm of believability. I loved Caponi. The wild flights from Egypt to Paris and on suited the madcap adventure. I hope there are more adventures. We need an irrepressible tough gal in Edwardian flounces. Here’s to adventure in big hats!

See the rest of the overlooked A/V at Todd’s blog.