Review of Arthur and the Invisibles (2006) by Pama — 10 Dec 2016

When Arthur(Freddy Highmore) first encounters Princess Selenia(Madonna), a beautiful and indelibly feminine, but nevertheless, creature, who could've been a figment of his raconteur grandfather's imagination; "Arthur & the Invisibles" brought me back to my first movie star crush.

Her name was Kira. She was a gelfing. She was the most beautiful...muppet, I had ever seen(way, way, way prettier than Miss Piggy). Even though "Arthur & the Invisibles" largely covers the same terrain as "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids", a scene like the one in which Arthur shares a rosebud-turned-bed with Princess Selenia, somewhat alleviates this formulaic film from the commercially-mandated instinct that it's noisy action in which audiences yearn for.

The age difference between Arthur and Princess Selenia is provocative(they come close to kissing), but never sordid; always sweet. If "Arthur & the Invisibles" had more ambition and artistry, the filmmaker could've chopped the running time of this first adventure(a tired story about recovering rubies to help save the farm), and reunited the age-challenged couple when Arthur got older.

Princess Selenia isn't like the dragon in the Peter, Paul & Mary folksong(she's corporeal), but Arthur's affinity for this Minimoy may not last once he starts meeting human girls; which is what's intriguing, and potentially fatalistic, about Princess Selenia's promise that she'll wait for him.