9/10
Fresh, stupid, clever and rather surprising !
5 November 2015
Mmmmmmh ...

Although I have been using it for years, this is my first comment EVER on IMDb ! One advice : do not trust reviews :)

Maybe I end my silence because I think this cartoon/movie does not deserve such an unfair treatment ; or is it because I am French (excuse my English, but I wanted everyone to be able to read it... or not LOL) and have watched Jamel in so many different contexts since my teen age ?

I enjoyed the movie and truly do not understand its bad review here (and from what I read from google.fr) : - Visuals, effects and animations are far from being perfect (cheap motion capture that I usually do not like) but, this time, it worked with me, and provided me with enough paintings, colors and emotions - Voices (from the original, French, version), or at least main characters' voices are quite fun and well played (Edouard/Jamel, of course, but above all his best friend "Ian" made me laugh so many times) - Funky & Soul music goes along quite well and helps keeping a fresh and catchy rhythm - Progressively, light humour (a little "Gaulois" / Gallic (?), maybe) turns into an epic story, more profound that it seemed at first sight, and might even push you to think a little further and connect to the Man or the Monkey within yourselves... yep yep ;)

I expected to find "traditional Jamel's humour" (that I still quite enjoy), but I was eventually very surprised by "Mr. Debbouze's" first work as a director, by its quality and its variety that should entertain a quite larger audience. Some kind of (alternative) allegory of mankind... hahaha ;)

Finally, here is a list of things with which you might want to be at peace in order to enjoy the movie pleasantly, OR "Why I (did not) eat the critics" : 1) One has right to do a pastiche (quite successfully I would add) of the great Louis de Funès ; I only see here the humble and unexpected tribute from a man to a genius 2) One has right to make "incoherent" cartoons (with Pterodactyls and Humans living side by side)... Some directors even made movies about Humans living side by side with Dinosaurs... C'mon ... Guys ! Really ? 3) Jamel Debbouze has right to make a movie

All in all, I would recommend for family's entertainment (and fans of : Alain Chabat / Les Nuls / Astérix ...), original mixture of stupid gags and clever situations, available to every child with a caring eye (young or old).
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