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Hugo is not your typical Martin Scorsese film. It is a big budget family film, in fact it is actually Scorsese's first family film. Set in 1930's Paris we follow Hugo Cabret (played by Asa Butterfield), an orphan living in a train station who maintains the clocks in place of his drunk missing uncle and has a fascination with gears and motors. Complication arrives when Hugo find himself in trouble with the owner of the station's toy shop Georges Méliès (Ben Kingsley).
If you are a classic film buff the name Méliès should ring a bell. The Georges Méliès in the film is in fact the famous French film pioneer. This is were Hugo departs from what may at first appear to be a rather typical family film, into something that is a truly special experience for those schooled in film studies.
The film opens with a sweeping shot as we fly into this Paris train station. This masterful camera work continues throughout Hugo. The large budget allows the special effects to really glow, and aids in creating a beautiful film. The heavy use of special effects is especially fitting, being the film is examining the history of Méliès (a special effects pioneer). Generally I am not a fan of 3D, but I can say that I harbor a bit of regret that I wasn't able to experience Hugo in 3D at the cinema. Scorsese appears to have shot the film in a way that would allow the 3D to lend to the experience, and not feel tacked on as it does in many films coming out recently.
The first half of the film mainly concerns itself with the escapades of Hugo and his new friend Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz), as they look for adventure and try to avoid the persistent concern of the station inspector played by Sacha Baron Cohen. Cohen gives a great performance, giving depth to what could otherwise have been a very bland character. Following along with Hugo and the other characters is a fun experience, but once Scorsese begins to deal with the history of Georges Méliès the film truly shines.
The second half of the film feels like a mix of documentary and fantasy. Documentary footage of Méliès work is show intertwined with an imagined behind the scenes look at the production of such great films as A Trip To The Moon. Watching Méliès work in his studio is magical, both in the experience and in the great effects he was pioneering. Anyone who has studied film or has an interested in film as an art form will find this part of the film most fascinating.
In the end, Martin Scorsese leaves us with a message of the importance of film preservation and hopefully a new found love for the art of making a film. While this film will be a gem for lovers of film, the journey will also appeal to those who are just looking for a fun family night at the cinema.
Ansell
