The Plot:

  Ten-year old Arthur (Freddie Highmore) is visiting his granny (Mia Farrow) when news comes that granny may have to sell her home to pay off the mortgage. Arthur knows the legend of a fortune in rubies hidden somewhere on the property by his long lost grandfather. Following clues left by his grandfather, Arthur learns that the rubies are hidden in the world of the Minimoys, a nigh microscopic race of folk that live in Granny’s garden.
  Arthur, with the help of five 7ft tall black tribesmen from Africa (which, by the way, seem to appear out of nowhere), sets out to shrink himself and enter the land of the Minimoys.
  As it turns out Arthur’s grandfather did the same thing once he realized the rubies were not where he left them. But Arthur soon learns that grandpa was taken captive by the Minimoys archenemy-Maltazard (David Bowie). In order to succeed Arthur will need the held of the Minimoys king (Robert De Niro) and Princess Selenia (Madonna).

The Point:

  Clearly, much can be gleaned from Arthur and the Invisibles by reading a synopsis or even simply by its title. While it fits every sense of the term “kid’s movie” Arthur has some entertainment for the adults as well. The movie told a new and different story, even if the setup was somewhat cliché.
    The film is half animated/half live action with occasional cuts back and forth. The live action storyline is as straightforward as the animated version is fantastical.
    From an acting standpoint this film is a mixed bag. Freddie Highmore continues to portray children wise beyond their years and his performance more than cuts the dramatic mustard, especially for a child his age. Good child actors are a very rare thing. On the flip side of that coin, it turns out that Madonna still can’t act even if she is only lending her voice to the role. There’s a distinct whine in her voice that causes my brain to react with painful seizures, even when she’s not singing. Besides that her characterization of Selenia comes off as a bunch of “boys are stinky” huffing and puffing, especially when Arthur turns out to be the “chosen one” instead of her. Nearly every other voice actor did reasonably well.
  Every movie has a fault and with Arthur and the Invisibles the main fault is pacing, followed by excessive and unnecessary exposition. The movie takes way too long to get moving and right when Selenia (dear God why couldn’t they find someone else to play this character?) meets Maltazard, the villain goes into an extensive exposition that bears no relevance to the rest of the movie.

SEE IT.