HUGO (or THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET as it was known up until a few weeks ago) marks Martin Scorsese’s first foray into family filmmaking. And less interestingly, 3D. Will the acclaimed director make a successful transition? Let’s have a look…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYIm6bJPolU

Here’s the official synopsis:

“HUGO tells the story of an orphan boy living a secret life in the walls of a Paris train station. With the help of an eccentric girl, he searches for the answer to a mystery linking the father he recently lost, the ill-tempered toy store owner living below him and a heart shaped lock, seemingly without a key. Based on Brian Selznick’s award winning and imaginative New York Times bestseller, “The Invention of Hugo Cabret,” this magical tale is Academy Award-winner Martin Scorsese’s first film shot in 3D.”

Ok, so Scorsese’s typically stunning visual style is present and correct, and Hitgirl herself Chloe Moretz looks to once again deliver an excellent performance, but boy were those slapsticky scenes featuring Sacha Baron Cohen super clunky.

Some folk are citing this as a natural successor to the HARRY POTTER franchise – it certainly has a Potter-esque flavour – but there’s only the one book published in 2007 to work from. It will be interesting to see if Paramount have found a way to leave the film open-ended for more, studio-penned, adventures – or if they’ve left some of the source material for later movies.

All will be revealed when HUGO is released worldwide this Christmas.

Disappointed Scorsese is wasting his time on children’s pictures when he could be telling more tales of people battering each other to death with baseball bats? Let us know with your comments below!