Accompanied by her talking cat (Philippe Katerine), a teen (Marion Cotillard) embarks on a quest to find her missing parents in 1941, when Paris is governed by steam and Napoleon V, where scientists vanish mysteriously.
Even in today's world of banal CGI wonders, it would be a tall order to render the scope and detail of the Franklins' ominous steampunk world in a live-action tent-pole.
As much as April and the Extraordinary World veers around a little too often and gets too self-indulgent with its exposition, the film effectively builds a whole other steampunk-inspired world in which viewers can get lost, gas masks and all.
... while sometimes bits of comedy are distractingly nonsensical, the film preserves scenes of illustrated beauty, smart contemplation and clever humor.
Fun, fast-paced French film d'animation that manages to keep its ideas from getting lost amid the steampunk aesthetics, frequent chases, and occasional explosions.
This hand-drawn animated feature by first-time directors Christian Desmares and Franck Ekinci is a steampunk marvel that will enchant both kids and adults with its high-concept premise.
Should appeal to precocious children... Adults may find it as derivative and simplistic as the steampunk aesthetic to which it's indebted, but for a gateway to more resonant cinema and literature, you could do worse.