The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec (2010) Les aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec (original title)

Director:

Luc Besson

Writers:

Luc Besson (screenplay)
Jacques Tardi (comic books)

Release Date:

14 April 2010 (Belgium)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy | Mystery

Plot:

An adventure set in the early part of the 20th century and focused on a popular novelist and her dealings with would-be suitors, the cops, monsters, and other distractions.

Plot Keywords:

Pterodactyl | Tomb | Monster | Based On Graphic Novel | Surrealism

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Louise Bourgoin	...	Adèle Blanc-Sec
Mathieu Amalric	...	Dieuleveult
Gilles Lellouche	...	Inspecteur Albert Caponi
Jean-Paul Rouve	...	Justin de Saint-Hubert
Jacky Nercessian	...	Marie-Joseph Espérandieu
Philippe Nahon	...	Le professeur Ménard
Nicolas Giraud	...	Andrej Zborowski
Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre	...	Agathe Blanc-Sec (as Laure de Clermont)
Gérard Chaillou	...	Président Armand Fallières
Serge Bagdassarian	...	Ferdinand Choupard
Claire Pérot	...	Nini les Gambettes
François Chattot	...	Raymond Pointrenaud
Stanislas De la Tousche	...	Le chauffeur Pointrenaud
Youssef Hajdi	...	Aziz
Mohamed Aroussi	...	Traître égyptien
Moussa Maaskri	...	Akbar
Mostefa Zerguine	...	Setimothep
Sayed Mohamed	...	Le pécheur égyptien
Grégory Ragot	...	Assistant Bertrand (as Gregory Ragot)
Tonio Descanvelle	...	Bertrand
Pierre Khorsand	...	Le crieur Louvre
Guillaume Briat	...	Le crieur Porte St. Denis
Swann Arlaud	...	Le crieur devant l'Élysée
Jean-Louis Barcelona	...	Louis
Max Delor	...	Le ministre de l'interieur
Cyrille Dobbels	...	Le préfet Lépine
Patrick Chupin	...	Dugommier
Philippe Girard	...	Cheval
Eric Naggar	...	L'éditeur d'Adèle
Manu Layotte	...	Le porteur
Jean-Lou de Tapia	...	Le chauffeur de taxi
Monique Mauclair	...	Miranda
Michel Gondoin	...	Le gardien de prison (as Mick Gondouin)
Jean-Pierre Prevotat	...	L'avocat
Dominique Macaire	...	Un gardien de prison
Luc Martin	...	Un gardien de prison
Christophe Bouisse	...	Un journaliste
Fabien Bellar	...	Un journaliste
Michel Aymard	...	Un journaliste
Yves Espargilière	...	Le gardien de la prison gourmand
Jérôme Courtois	...	Le prisonnier peu gourmand
Michel Sailly	...	Le cuisinier de la prison
Elise Marie	...	Serveuse Tour Eiffel
Galles Morin	...	Le fermier
Christophe Carotenuto	...	Le gardien de prison jeune
Jean-Michel Molé	...	Le gardien de Vincennes
Cédric Tuffier	...	Le gardien de prison qui dort
Pascal Loison	...	Le prisonnier
Jérôme Bruno	...	Securité Président
Roland Marchisio	...	Le policier bègue
Armand Eloi	...	Un bourgeois
Frédérique Bel	...	Un bourgeois
Christophe Seureau	...	Un bourgeois
Jacques Sablier	...	Le loueur de fenètres
Régis Royer	...	La momie 'Patmosis'
Isabelle Caro	...	La momie 'Nosibis'
Dominique Gras	...	La Momie 'Sephilomithes'
Matila Malliarakis	...	La momie 'Semotep'
Christophe Dimitri Réveille	...	La momie 'Shelsoüt' (as Christophe Réveille)
Christian Erickson	...	La momie 'Ramses II'
Allain Naron	...	Un malfrat (as Alain Naron)
Michel Herse	...	Un malfrat
Jean-Michel Marnet	...	Le concierge
Vincent Debost	...	Le vendeur de vétements
Isabel Pestana	...	Adèle jeune
Ashami Serra	...	Agathe jeune
Lou Savri	...	Adèle enfant (as Lou Savry)
Justine Chesneau	...	Agathe enfant
Bernard Lanneau	...	Le narrateur (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Benjamin Broux	...	Le serveur (uncredited)
Clément Sageste	...	Homme Sandwich (uncredited)

Directed by
Luc Besson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Luc Besson		screenplay
Jacques Tardi		comic books

Produced by
Luc Besson	....	associate producer
Virginie Silla	....	producer

Original Music by
Eric Serra

Cinematography by
Thierry Arbogast

Film Editing by
Julien Rey

Casting by
Swan Pham

Production Design by
Hugues Tissandier

Costume Design by
Olivier Bériot

Makeup Department
Frédérique Arguello	....	hair stylist
Margo Blache	....	key hair stylist
Christophe Chabenet	....	special makeup effects artist
Marthe Faucouit	....	makeup artist
Stéphane Robert	....	makeup department head
Jean-Christophe Roger	....	additional makeup artist
Miguel Santos	....	key hair stylist
Linda Schwach	....	makeup artist
Olivier Seyfrid	....	hair stylist
Aya Yabuuchi	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Adrien Adriaco	....	assistant unit manager
Aurélien Brie	....	extra assistant unit manager
Zacharie Cortes	....	assistant unit manager
David Deshayes	....	unit manager: Egypt
Anne-Thaïse Foucard	....	additional assistant unit manager
Cédric Fréni	....	assistant unit manager
Marc Guidetti	....	unit manager
Thierry Guilmard	....	production manager
Varujan Gumusel	....	post-production manager
Erwan Hiernard	....	additional assistant unit manager
David Lemenan	....	assistant unit manager
Pierre Samolany	....	assistant unit manager
Dorothée Santucci	....	assistant unit manager
William Trillaud	....	assistant unit manager
Martin Moulron	....	unit manager trainee (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roger Delattre	....	second unit director
Isabelle Duprez	....	trainee assistant director
Emmanuelle Fourault	....	second assistant director
Stéphane Gluck	....	first assistant director
Lucie Gratas	....	third assistant director
Sandie Louit	....	additional assistant director
Fabien Ricour	....	second assistant director
Camille Tillier	....	trainee assistant director

Art Department
Philippe Boucherot	....	props buyer
Charlie Clerc	....	graphic artist
Thierry Doerflinger	....	plasterer
Rémi Dumas	....	assistant props
Paulo Gonçalves	....	assistant decorator
Yvan Hart	....	supervising plasterer
Pierre Imberteche	....	plasterer
Fabien Lang	....	props
Pascal Leguellec	....	assistant art director
Jean-Manuel Martinez	....	plasterer
Cédric Maserati	....	props
Guy Monbillard	....	set dresser
Olivier Nguyen	....	property master
Roger Dang Van Sung	....	painter

Sound Department
Selim Azzazi	....	sound editor
Nicolas Bourgeois	....	assistant sound editor
Vincent Cosson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Anne Delacour	....	dialogue editor
Najib El Yafi	....	sound editor (english version only)
François-Joseph Hors	....	sound re-recording mixer
Fred Mays	....	adr supervisor
Vincent Milner	....	foley artist
Florian Penot	....	assistant foley artist
Philippe Penot	....	foley artist
Nicolas Provost	....	boom operator
Ken Yasumoto	....	sound mixer
Ken Yasumoto	....	supervising sound editor

Special Effects by
Noel Chainbaux	....	special effects assistant
Arthur Humbert	....	special effects crew
Olivier Marais	....	special effects
Romain Rosier	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Nasser Abo	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Etienne Allard	....	digital compositor
Xavier Allard	....	senior digital effects artist: BUF
Arnaud Allenet	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Herve Anceau	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Guillaume Arrighi	....	digital effects artist: BUF
François-Xavier Aubague	....	visual effects producer: BUF
Jerome Auliac	....	digital compositor
Julien Aullas	....	sequence supervisor: BUF
Hugo Aymerich	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Sebastien Bacchia	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Frederic Bajou	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Frederic Barbe	....	sequence supervisor: BUF
Vincent Batoufflet	....	system administrator assistant: BUF
Xavier Bec	....	head of software: BUF
Christophe Bellet	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Paul Belot	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Thomas Berkane	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Loic Beslay	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Alain Bignet	....	digital compositor
Benoit Bonachera	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Jonathan Bonte	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Francois Boudaille	....	sequence supervisor: BUF
Julien Boudou	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Nicolas Boulaire	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Frédéric Boulin	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Stephane Bourdageau	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Marc-Antoine Bressand	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Sirius Buisson	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Sirius Buisson	....	on set supervisor: BUF
Thibault Bunoust	....	video motion capture operators: BUF
Thibault Bunoust	....	visual effects artist
Nicolas Candido	....	animator
Isabelle Capgras	....	editing coordinator: BUF
Eric Carme	....	visual effects artist
Alain Carsoux	....	visual effects supervisor
Ludovic Chailloleau	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Anthony Charbonnier	....	digital compositor
Fabien Charbonnier	....	system administrator assistant: BUF
Romain Charoy	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Florian Chauvet	....	visual effects coordinator
Florent Chedreau	....	system administrator assistant: BUF
Florent Chedreau	....	video motion capture operators: BUF
Murielle Chevalley	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Ganael Chevallier	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Martin Claude	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Ana Cojanu	....	visual effects
Jean-Nicolas Costa	....	digital compositor
Anne Coulet	....	digital artist
Claire Coulet	....	visual effects coordinator: BUF
Sylvain Crombet	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Germain Cuvelle	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Edgar de Araujo	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Yann De Cadoudal	....	sequence supervisor: BUF
Séverine De Wever	....	visual effects producer
Christophe Dehaene	....	digital compositor
Damien Dell'omodarme	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Maxime Delorme	....	visual effects coordinator: BUF
Eric Deltour	....	sequence supervisor: BUF
Jonathan Deniard	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Stephane Dittoo	....	digital compositor
Boris Duong	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Christophe Dupuis	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Marie Dussart	....	visual effects coordinator: BUF
Pierre Escande	....	visual effects producer: BUF
Pascal Etangsale	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Pierre Fauquembergue	....	system administrator: BUF
Michael Forot	....	software engineer: BUF
Frederic Fourier	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Benoit Gadreau	....	software engineer: BUF
Nicolas Gauthier	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Olivier Gilbert	....	design & graphic research: BUF
Yoel Godo	....	setup supervisor: BUF
Cristina Gomes	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Aurélien Grand	....	retouch and restoration
Florian Grolier	....	render farm operator: BUF
Maxime Guillet	....	system administrator assistant: BUF
Michael Havart	....	design & graphic research
Audrey Henneton	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Tristan Hocquet	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Daphnée Hong	....	animator
Mickael Jaffrain	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Eric Joubin	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Malik Kaizane	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Pacini Kevin	....	visual effects editor
Nicolas Labbe	....	render farm operator: BUF
Anaïs Lacoste	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Fabrice Lacroix	....	sequence supervisor: BUF
Jonathan Lagache	....	Flame artist: BUF
Fabrice Lagayette	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Marc Lamorille	....	digital artist: BUF
Rudy Laplasse	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Laurent Launes	....	animator
Bastien Laurent	....	sequence supervisor: BUF
Yann Le Corre	....	cg artist
Korentin Le Gallou	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Guillaume Le Gouez	....	digital compositor
Natasha Leroux	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Matthieu Lezis	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Frederic Liebgott	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Audrey Limet	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Joachim Loubeau	....	render farm operator: BUF
Olivier Lourry	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Renaud Louvet	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Daniel Ly	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Anthony Lyant	....	senior digital effects artist: BUF
Mikael Lynen	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Mikael Lynen	....	video motion capture operators: BUF
Nicolas Maillard	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Denis Marco	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Emmanuel Margoux	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Jean-Marie Marquet	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Laurent Menu	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Yann Moalic	....	digital artist
Fredrik Monteil	....	digital compositor
Emmanuel Mouillet	....	digital artist
Mélanie Moulin	....	assistant visual effects editor: BUF
Benjamin Mulot	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Rodney Musso	....	assistant colorist: Digital Factory
Maxime Neko	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Nicolas Nepveu	....	Visual effects coordinator: BUF Compagnie
Bruce Nguyen Van Lan	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Thierry Nguyen	....	concept artist: BUF Compagnie
Fabrice Nianzou	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Jean-Louis Nikiema	....	render farm operator: BUF
Geoffrey Niquet	....	visual effects general supervisor: BUF
Marie-Catherine Osmy	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Helene Ourabah	....	digital artist
Loris Paillier	....	senior digital effects artist: BUF
Fabien Paillisse	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Guillaume Palegie	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Camille Paleni	....	digital compositor
Mathieu Pallet	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Yohann Perchoc	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Frank Petit	....	digital compositor
Marc Phoutharath	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Victor Phrakornkham	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Laurent Pierrat	....	render farm operator: BUF
Rémi Pierre	....	digital artist
Joel Pinto	....	digital compositor
Massimiliano Piscozzi	....	software engineer: BUF
Sylvain Potel	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Elisa Pretta	....	digital compositor
Romain Puybasset	....	render farm operator: BUF
Clement Rambach	....	software engineer: BUF
Martin Reneleau	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Romain Revert	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Simon Reynaud	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Luis Miguel Ribeiro	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Clement Richard	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Laurent Ripoll	....	visual effects editor
Jeremy Robert	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Jeremy Robert	....	on set supervisor: BUF
Benoit Roekens	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Kenny Rosset	....	digital artist
Aurore Rousset	....	animator
Hélène Saint-Riquier	....	visual effects coordinator: BUF
Anthony Salvadorini	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Jerome Samson	....	head of render farm: BUF
Nicolas Schneider	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Bruce Sicard	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Olivier Sicot	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Christian Simon	....	digital compositor
Mourad Simoussa	....	sequence supervisor: BUF
Jeremy Soudjoukdjian	....	animator
Kusan Soulinthavong	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Romain Sunier	....	software engineer: BUF
Quentin Sur	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Quentin Sur	....	visual effects artist
Jérémy Taburet	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Julien Tagodoe	....	render farm operator: BUF
Florent Taisne	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Nicolas Terriere	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Nicolas Thieffry	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Hervé Thouement	....	Flame artist: BUF
Audrey Tondre	....	visual effects coordinator: BUF
Georges Tornero	....	digital compositor
Gauthier Trannoy	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Antoine Trouillet	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Arnaud Trouvé	....	software development: BUF
Eliane Truong	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Edouard Valton	....	visual effects producer: BUF
Mathieu Vavril	....	animator
Mathieu Vavril	....	design & graphic research: BUF
Mathieu Vavril	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Christophe Vazquez	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Florian Velasco	....	digital effects artist: BUF
David Verbeke	....	senior digital effects artist: BUF
Julie Verweij	....	visual effects coordinator: BUF
Dominique Vidal	....	senior digital effects artist: BUF
Jocelyn Vincent	....	render farm operator: BUF
Stephane Vogel	....	visual effects
Arnaud Watteau	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Donan Yossi	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Ramy Zaouai	....	render farm operator: BUF
Damien Zeelen	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Amir Zellal	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Christophe Zito	....	digital effects artist: BUF
Veronique Zylberfain	....	matte painter

Stunts
Malki Attar	....	stunts
Yves Barta	....	assistant stunt coordinator: wire work
Mark Bizet	....	assistant stunt coordinator: wire work
Mohamed Elachi	....	stunts
Philippe Guégan	....	stunts: wire effects
Philippe Morel	....	stunts
Frédéric Vallet	....	stunt double
Astou Vedel	....	stunt double: Louise Bourgoin

Camera and Electrical Department
Victor Abadia	....	electrician
Lionel Bailly	....	lighting technician
Anne Angèle Bertoli	....	second assistant "a" camera: second unit
Franck-Norman Bihi	....	electrician
Stéphane Birzin	....	grip
Magali Bragard	....	still photographer
Arnaud Carney	....	digital imaging technician
Mathilde Cathelin	....	second assistant camera
Mathieu Caudroy	....	steadicam operator
Rachid Dhibou	....	making-of
Maéva Drecq	....	assistant DIT
Pierre-Hugues Galien	....	digital imaging technician
Vincent Gallot	....	second unit director of photography
Thomas Gally	....	electrician
William Gally	....	gaffer
Clement Gharini	....	flying camera operator
Erwann Le Pogam	....	grip
Laurent Martin	....	rigging grip
Pierre Arnaud Ouvrard	....	electrician
Vincent Richard	....	first assistant camera
René-Pierre Rouaux	....	assistant camera
Roger Simonsz	....	cinematographer: second unit
Souki Belghiti	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)

Animation Department
Frédéric Boulin	....	animator

Casting Department
Pascale Béraud	....	extras casting director

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Guillaume Attwood	....	costumer
Laurence Chalou	....	costume supervisor
Estelle Cleary	....	costume maker
Caroline de Tugny	....	patina & tint
Eudald Magri	....	wardrobe
Lorenzo Mancianti	....	key costume props
Capucine Martin	....	wardrobe assistant
Laurence Nicolas	....	set costumer
Frédéric Tournant	....	costumes coordinator
Stéphanie Watrigant	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Yseult Huret	....	assistant editor
Fabien Pascal	....	colorist
Agnès Sébenne	....	post-production supervisor
Flora Volpelière	....	assistant editor
Reginald Gallienne	....	dailies color grader (uncredited)

Music Department
Nicolas Duport	....	music recordist
Didier Lozahic	....	music mixer engineer
Alexandre Mahout	....	music supervisor
Eric Serra	....	composer: theme music

Other crew
Karine Caumeil	....	art department accounting
Romuald Drault	....	production accountant supervisor
David Edouard	....	assistant to unit managers
Rasha Gawdat	....	interpreter
Marc Leroyer	....	armorer
Philippe Letode	....	location manager
Alexis Linval	....	assistant unit manager
Vincent Stevenel	....	production accountant
Laure-Astrid Veber	....	intern production assistant

Production Companies

• EuropaCorp (co-production)
• Apipoulaï (co-production) (as Apipoulaï Prod.)
• TF1 Films Production (co-production)
• Canal+ (participation)
• Sofica Europacorp (in association with)
• Cofinova 6 (in association with)

Distributors

• Asmik Ace Entertainment (2010) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2010) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Cinestar (2010) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Diamond Films (2010) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• EuropaCorp. Distribution (2010) (France) (theatrical)
• Innoform Media (2010) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2010) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Belga Films (2010) (Belgium) (all media)
• CP Digital (2010) (Russia) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• EDKO Film (2011) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Film1 (2011) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Imagem Filmes (2010) (Brazil) (all media)
• Long Shong Entertainment Multimedia Company (2010) (Taiwan) (all media)
• Medusa Distribuzione (2010) (Italy) (all media)
• Monopole-Pathé (2010) (Switzerland) (all media)
• Nordisk Film Theatrical Distribution (2010) (Finland) (all media)
• Odeon (2010) (Greece) (all media)
• Optimum Releasing (2010) (UK) (all media)
• Shout! Factory (2013) (USA) (all media)
• Sun Distribution (2010) (Uruguay) (all media) (Latin America)
• TriPictures (2010) (Spain) (all media)
• Zon Lusomundo Audiovisuais (2011) (Portugal) (all media)

Special Effects

• BUF
• Duran Duboi
• Les Versaillais

Other Companies

• Alias Agence Artistique  talent agency
• Cinésyl  grip and lighting equipment
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Intelligent Media  international monitoring agency

Also Known As:

"Les aventures extraordinaires d'Adèle Blanc-Sec" - France (original title)
"Adèle and the Secret of the Mummy" - International (English title) (DVD title)
"Adèle: Rise of the Mummy" - Philippines (English title)
"Adele: Rise of the Mummy" - Malaysia (English title) (imdb display title)
"Adèle" - Japan (English title) (short title)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | Japan:PG12 | Singapore:NC-16 | Singapore:PG (edited version) | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Germany:6 | UK:12A | Portugal:M/6 | Ireland:12A | South Korea:12 | Brazil:10

Filming Locations:

Cairo, Egypt

Company:

EuropaCorp

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Near the opening scenes, immediately after the can-can scene, when Mr Ferdinand Choupard arrives in front of the Jeanne D'Arc monument, the speaker says he's in the "place des pyramides" but it appears the place got this name only in 5 January 1932: in 1911, at the time when the story goes, its name was still "place de Rivoli".

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Special Collector's Edition: Titanic - 1ª Edición (#2.2)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

L'Adèle

A Nutshell Review: The Extraordinary Adventures of Adele Blanc-Sec

French filmmaker Luc Besson has been responsible for some of the most enduring contemporary films from action thrillers like Nikita and Leon the Professional, to a personal science fiction cult favourite of mine The Fifth Element. Of late he has chosen to relinquish the director's chair and taking up story, scriptwriting and producing duties at his Europa Corp, although taking the chair back again with more family friendly adventures such as The Minimoys series, adapted from his series of children's books. His latest live-action adventure adapts from Jacques Tardi's series of comic books featuring a female adventurer quite like in the mold of Indiana Jones.

Adele Blanc-Sec (Louis Bourgoin) is smart, resourceful, and quite the alpha-female go-getter with a dash of sassiness about her, and these are precisely the kind of characters I suppose Luc Besson has been comfortable dealing with in his filmography. His Adele doesn't equip herself with weapons other than a rapid wit and a sharp tongue to disarm her enemies, setting her sights at far flung adventures where her publisher would send her to, though at times like this film, decide to detour and follow her own agenda. And for those taken in by the subtitle of the film promising something along the lines of Stephen Sommer's The Mummy films, let's just say to drop those expectations, because there isn't any Imhotep to lock horns with.

Besson keeps you guessing for the most parts as he unravels the story before you, opting to place you in suspense as you figure out how the multiple sub plot lines will come together and make relatable sense. It assumes that you have some knowledge of the basis of the lead character, but fills you in along the way nonetheless. With plot devices such as a Pterodactyl hatched from an egg in a museum and now taking to the skies of Paris, the attempts to capture that flying dinosaur by inept hunter Justin de Saint-Hubert (Jean-Paul Rouve), a promise of a romance between the shy scientist Andrej Zborowski (Nicholas Giraud) and Adele, and the need for Adele to steal a mummy from Egypt, all boil down to the extreme lengths the titular adventurer will go to save a family member.

Of course there's a need to keep things balanced up, so in contrast to the more dogged Adele comes on the side of the law, the bumbling police inspector Leonce Caponi (Gilles Lellouche) with a penchant for food, a need to be found from the mysterious psychic powers of ally Marie-Joseph Esperandieu (Jacky Nercessian), and a clash of good and evil with the villainy of an unrecognizable Mathieu Amalric as Dieuleveult with whom Adele crosses with early on in the story. It's a pity though that Amalric's screen presence was limited as his character Dieuleveult had so much potential, but the extraordinary adventures were indeed split down to Adele's quest, and everything else, peppered with a handful of quirky characters set to entertain, and a series of wry humour especially on that oh-so-familiar critique of society's top down approach to get things done which was brilliantly executed.

There''s no scrimping on the production values of this period piece set just before WWI and an infamous tragedy that marked the dangers of human arrogance, which should make a follow up film quite interesting should the filmmakers pick up from where they left off. Incredible production sets and costumes are what beautify the film, and the CG effects used to enhance the viewing experience went fuss-free, although it didn't break much new ground since movie audiences weaned on the Hollywood Mummy franchise would already be accustomed to how mummies move and behave, albeit with less civility.

Unfortunately though, the film did not manage to survive unscathed. I was looking forward to a scene where our heroine would be sitting in the bathtub and reading out letters of infatuation written by Andrej as she had hinted she would, only for a quick jump cut made and you're left high and literally dry. Having watched the dubbed English version during this screening, I will recommend that you head on to The Cathay to watch this so that you can immerse yourself in the aural pleasures of the French language and get by through the English subtitles (if you don't speak French) because while it's a relatively competent voice cast trying their best to emote as they could, I'm quite the stickler for authenticity and whatever's coming out of a character's mouth to be in sync with their lip movement, and have to struggle not to be too perturbed by it.

The opening film of this year's French Film Festival in Singapore, don't walk out just yet when the credits roll, as there's a coda that comes up midway. Don't berate what's essentially a fantasy piece that occasionally found pleasure dwelling on the absurd, but prepare for something that's visually gorgeous, narratively unusual and outlandishly entertaining.