There's certainly a hint of Hollywood blockbuster about Luc Besson's adaptation of Jacques Tardi's famed French comic strip about a female adventurer. But as with The Fifth Element before it, a strong injection of Gallic eccentricity ensures plenty of deviation from the usual formula. The action begins in Paris, 1912, with a pterodactyl hatching from its egg in a museum and going on to menace the city, prompting another challenge for Adèle Blanc-Sec. Louise Bourgoin's indefatigable heroine blends Indiana Jones's guile with a certain head-girl hauteur, while an Egyptian theme calls to mind The Mummy (although with variable digital effects). Much of the knockabout comedy and verbal wit is perhaps lost in translation, but the sheer whimsicality of the storytelling, enchanting Paris locations and deliciously ornate design work add to the appeal. Former Bond villain Mathieu Amalric gets a rather generous second billing for his brief showing as the heroine's nefarious rival, which is somehow typical of a film that's never quite as witty or thrilling as you'd hope, yet marches defiantly to its own beat.