Arthur and the Great Adventure

This lacklustre transitional chapter in Luc Besson’s trilogy of garish live action-animation hybrids aimed at very young and/or easily pleased concerns the efforts of young Arthur (Freddie Highmore) to ensure the livelihood of a fraternity of thumbnail-sized, spiky-haired sprites, the Minimoys, who reside in his grandparents’ garden. The animation has plenty of pep and sparkle and individual moments verge on the impressive, but the whole affair feels depressingly half-cocked, not least the mysterious plot device of only revealing the purpose of Arthur’s journey in the final five minutes. Snoop Dogg makes an appearance as an emaciated, dreadlocked sidekick, and for all those tots who like nothing more than to take their milk and rusks to the strains of ‘Metal Machine Music’, Lou Reed lends his voice to miscellaneous, cackling bad dude Maltazard.