The Triplets of Belleville (2003)

2014-05-19

Here's what I wrote some years ago:

Totally unlike anything I've seen before, an extraordinary animated feature, with some superb music, magnificent characters, and amazing stylistic choices, and supreme storytelling... It's an awesome experience, pity it runs for less than 80 minutes. It carries greater emotional impact than most movies I've seen.

And here's what I wrote in 2010:

That still stands except the last sentence, since the revisit brought no such impact. Let me add that the movie is a bizarre ride (no dialog, unseemly super-tough heroes, etc.) and that the highlight of the wonderful music is the one track at start of the end-credits. I also remember enjoying the raunchy opening sequence much more than on this revisit.

On a third viewing, it feels more a curious experiment than a serious movie, and it remains as unusual as ever. I love the mother (her resolve is impressive), but the title characters are even more interesting. The dog, dumb as it is, is lovable. There is not much going on in the movie, and if fact, what is supposed to be a climax is just a string of fantasy-like quirky moments. By the way, I should have said practically no dialog. There is a bit, but no more than two or three sentences.