THE ADVENTURES OF TINTIN
A glorious, grand adventure the whole family can enjoy.
Should You Watch It?
Steven Spielberg’s The Adventures of Tintin is a four-star family adventure: exciting, funny, morally serious, and beautifully made. The action moves like a roller coaster, but Spielberg introduces Tintin, Snowy, and Captain Haddock steadily enough that you can care about them before the story races ahead.
The film’s strongest gift is its moral and redemptive vision. Good defeats evil. Light brings truth. An alcoholic sidekick finds sobriety, and the villain goes to jail instead of being killed. The movie also includes positive Christian references to the Cross and “St. John the Evangelist.”
The cost is light but real: guns, action violence, scary pirates, a little language, and drunkenness played partly for comedy. Very young children may struggle with the intensity or length. For most families, this is WORTH THE TRIP.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESTintin, a curious young reporter, buys an antique model of the lost treasure ship called the Unicorn. When a hidden clue is discovered inside, Tintin and his dog, Snowy, begin searching for a family treasure.
Their quest leads them to Captain Haddock, the drunken descendant of the Unicorn’s captain. Together, they race to assemble the mystery’s clues before the descendant of a pirate who once tried to steal the treasure can reach it first.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is exceptional family entertainment. The action is thoroughly exciting, and the comedy is playful and well-pitched. Spielberg introduces the three heroes in a steady, captivating way, so the frenetic action never overwhelms your sympathy for them.
The motion-capture animation is beautifully detailed. The film also has the sweeping, old-fashioned adventure spirit of Spielberg’s earlier work, particularly Raiders of the Lost Ark. It is a glorious, grand animated adventure that combines spectacle, humor, and heart.
The Worldview
The film presents a strong moral and redemptive worldview. Good conquers evil, light brings truth, and the villain is taken to jail rather than killed. Captain Haddock’s sobriety also gives the story a redemptive turn.
Christian imagery is woven into the treasure hunt. References to the Cross and “St. John the Evangelist” point toward the idea that light reveals truth. The film’s imagery suggests that true treasure is found at the foot of the Cross, in the light Jesus offers to all people.
The movie does include a lighter humanist idea: pushing through failure by one’s own efforts rather than through God’s grace. Even so, its central message about treasure, truth, and redemption aligns strongly with biblical concerns. “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Very strong moral, redemptive worldview with overt and allegorical Christian content, including a reference to “St. John the Evangelist,” references to the Cross and a very strong metaphor throughout of light bringing truth, and good defeats criminal, evil pirates and with no hateful revenge, plus a light, humanist element of pushing past failure through one’s own efforts rather than through the Grace of God; light amount of foul language includes one “d” word, one “h” word and one “I swear to God”; lots of action violence such man is shot and killed by machinegun from behind off screen and falls through doorway when door is opened, man marks newspaper with his own blood to leave a message, man kicks dog, many chase scenes with some slapstick humor, bad guys shoot at heroes, flashback shows pirates attacking ship to get treasure, pirates stab and shoot sailors, pirate leader ready to force ship’s captain to reveal hidden place of treasure, men forced to walk plank off ship and it’s implied they’re eaten by sharks, swordfights, gunfights; no sex; no nudity; light alcohol abuse and drunkenness presented mostly for comedic effect, as drunken man gets sober in the desert he hallucinates story he was told about a past ancestor of his, champagne bottles explode, dog conspires to get man drunk; man smokes tobacco pipe; and, young man trespasses onto property, man picks pockets of strangers but is eventually caught with hundreds of wallets in his house and declares himself a kleptomaniac, and evil pirate lies to ship’s captain about sparing his men.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Tintin values the model ship for its beauty rather than its commercial value. What does that choice teach us about the difference between owning something and treasuring it?
Matthew 6:19–21The film uses light to reveal truth. Where do you need God’s light to help you see clearly?
John 8:12 · Ephesians 5:8–14Captain Haddock moves from drunkenness toward sobriety. How can God’s grace help someone face failure and begin again?
Ephesians 2:8–9 · 2 Corinthians 5:17The heroes choose justice rather than hateful revenge. What is the difference between seeking justice and taking revenge?
Romans 12:19–21The Final Word
The Adventures of Tintin offers your family thrilling action, playful comedy, beautiful animation, and a strong message about truth, redemption, and the treasure found in Christ’s light. Young children may need extra discernment, but this is WORTH THE TRIP.
