Probably the most interesting thing about 3D family film “Hugo” is that it is directed by Martin Scorsese, a filmmaker famed for his viciously violent and prodigiously potty-mouthed 18-rated flicks suitable only for mummy and daddy. Look down his filmography before the release of “Hugo” (ignoring 1993’s U-rated romance “The Age of Innocence,” which, to be frank, no one really remembers), you’ll notice that the most kid-friendly flick Mr Scorsese has ever released is a three-hour-long Howard Hughes biopic which features a butt-naked Leonardo DiCaprio getting his willy out and pissing into milk bottles – oh, and there’s that rather disgusting scene in which a bloody and broken Leo has the palms of his hands horribly burnt before he is engulfed in flames following a nasty plane crash. Point is: Scorsese has never been known as a filmmaker who caters to young audiences.And yet “Hugo” is entirely innocent, with nary a swearword uttered or a hand violently beaten to bits with a hammer. The film’s most child-unsuitable scene is probably a train derailment in which we witness a fair amount of wreckage but no violence. All insults in the film are worded playfully and innocently, with words like “urchin” and “buffoon” replacing Scorsese’s usual assortment of F words and C words. There is no sex and there is no violence, these instead replaced with an overwhelming sense of wonderment and magic. If anything, the sheer brilliance of “Hugo” – and it is very brilliant – shows that Scorsese is not only one of the most gifted filmmakers working today but also one of the most versatile. (continue reading)
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The movie itself runs a bit long at 127 minutes, but Hugo is worth every minute for the visual feast it provides, and features Scorsese in probably his most delightful and elegant mood ever, especially with all of the beautiful 3-D. Good review.