Director: Luc Besson.
Starring: (voices of) Freddie Highmore, Selena Gomez, Lou Reed, Mia Farrow
The Arthur series draws to a close in this final film of the trilogy from the director Besson. Picking up where the previous film left off, Malthazar (voiced by Reed) is now 7ft tall, and with the telescope destroyed, Arthur (Highmore) is helpless in his "Minimoy" size.
He must find a way to change back and stop his enemy before his hometown is put in danger. Despite impressive animation, for a final chapter the story should feel more urgent. Instead, we have just another adventure for Arthur and his friends, with an all-star cast (including Farrow and Highmore) failing to elevate a fairly standard children's story.
There are moments of brilliance, mainly involving Malthazar in his larger form (thanks in part to a delightful voice performance from Reed), but the slow pace in between loses the sense of urgency.
On the plus side, Selena Gomez (as Selenia) works well with Highmore, who himself puts considerable effort into his role.
Ultimately, despite being masterminded by one of the great European directors of the past 20 years, the Arthur series ends as it began - with a whimper.
