Léo, la fabuleuse histoire de Léonard de Vinci

Inventing flying contraptions, war machines and studying cadavers, Leonardo da Vinci tackles the meaning of life itself with the help of French princess Marguerite de Nevarre.

I think it's a great idea to teach kids about history, especially those who feature so importantly in our current, modern lives. Film, especially animation like this, is an ideal way to educate young people. I would hope and expect many families went to see this although figures so far suggest not.

For me there were too many tropes and mannerisms from today thrown in. Like the cartoon figure sawing at his neck in that Americanism that means 'cut', or 'stop talking.' I think it was dumbed down too far and felt ultra childish. Kids are much more astute than we give them credit for and while the animation was done very nicely, I feel the presentation of the material was done by those who simply don't understand kids.

I couldn't watch til the end as it's not for my age group and was annoying me. But for those with younger children they might enjoy it.

A delight, especially for those who enjoy history. This multi-style animated feature tells the story of Leonardo DaVinci's later life.

Spurning trendy 3D-driven computer animation with its dense content and over-caffeinated dialog, this film takes its time, spreads out, and dives deeply and gracefully into "The Maestro's" Italy and France that he inhabits. The primary animation style is 3D stop motion puppetry, but there is nothing old and jerky about this production. The motion is smooth, the backgrounds lush and detailed, and the pace measured and deliberate. With the occasional nod to old-fashioned elements (DaVinci's mouth that magically appears atop his thick beard when he speaks, for example), the puppetry is truly state-of-the-art.

King Francis I, King Henry VIII, King Charles I, and Pope Leo X all do the comedic heavy lifting. The scenes where the three monarchs repeatedly bicker and fight provide pure, fast-paced, and traditional animated delight, especially since these scenes are all stop motion. As the real world becomes too intense, threatening and ignorant to our hero, we are offered frequent glimpses of the world inside DaVinci's mind, and are treated with sepia-infused, gravity-defying, pencil animated scenes of pure joy, in an animated style reminiscent of DaVinci's famous sepia sketches come to life.

The score is subtle, with a noticeable lack of big, defining tunes. Instead, the songs - mostly offered by the princess (arguable the most impressive character of the movie with her understated progressivism and uncanny and hilarious ability to manager her brother, the French monarch) - seem to start and stop seamlessly with the dialog. The score weaves from lush support, to hints of Renaissance music (hinting at the Elizabethan period to come as ushered in by our hero), to a bizarre but effective hook melody in a 6/8-3/4 time signature reminiscent of Bernstein's America.

As said, a delight. An animated romp through Renaissance history with this tale teaching us that the primary agent of change, DaVinci, was no ordinary inventor.

It's 1516 Rome. Leonardo da Vinci is looking to skies. He has a complicated relationship with Pope Leo X. He befriends Marguerite who is the sister of French king Francis I. They put on a show to bring a new peaceful culture to Emperor Charles V and King Henry VIII.

This is an animated biopic of Leonardo da Vinci. The animation is a mix of stop-motion and hand-drawn although they may have used CGI. The stop-motion reminds me of the old Rankin/Bass specials. This doesn't have a three act story structure. It is more a flat temporal flow. In that way, it is slightly educational while randomly entertaining. It doesn't give any drama. It's cute.

I just watched The Inventor, and I must say, it's a captivating animation film that left me pondering the life of Leonardo da Vinci. As someone who's always been fascinated by art, science, and history, I appreciated the unique blend of these elements in the movie.

One of the standout aspects of The Inventor is its stunning animation. The watercolor-inspired visuals transported me to the Renaissance era, immersing me in the world of 15th-century Florence. The attention to detail in the characters' designs and the environments is impressive, making every scene a feast for the eyes.

The storytelling is engaging, and I enjoyed seeing Leonardo's curiosity and creativity shine through. The film highlights his inventive spirit, showcasing his iconic designs and innovations. However, I felt that the narrative was a bit disjointed at times, jumping between different periods of Leonardo's life without clear transitions.

My only other criticism is that the supporting characters feel somewhat one-dimensional. I would have loved to see more depth and development in characters like Lorenzo and Francesco.

Despite these minor flaws, The Inventor is a charming film that sparked my interest in Leonardo's life and work. The movie's themes of creativity, perseverance, and innovation resonated with me, and I found myself reflecting on my own passions and pursuits.

Overall, I'd recommend The Inventor to anyone interested in art, history, or science. While it may not be a perfect film, its unique visual style and captivating storyline make it a worthwhile watch.

I was quite nervous at the start here when I saw how many production companies were involved - it looked like a recipe for a mess. Well it isn't. It's certainly an amalgam of animated styles featuring everything from flat 2-D drawing to complex technical sketching and some stop-motion characterisations that really worked quite quirkily. It's the briefest of potted histories of the life of Leonardo da Vinci. We start in Rome where his sponsor - Cardinal de Medici - is constantly firefighting for him with Pope Leo X who wants him to do something a little more useful, and not dissect dead bodies in the middle of the night! It's that latter habit that sees him flee to the relative safety of King Francis I of France. The King wants the maestro to build him a castle, or a new city, or some fancy weapons - or probably all of the above. Leonardo doesn't really react well to commissions though, and soon his new benefactor is also beginning to lose his patience. Luckily, he has the princess Marguerite in his corner, and gradually the grudging support of their mother, the Queen. It can look a bit disjointed at times, the art is frequently quite contrasting - but that just makes the whole proposition a little more interesting and innovative. The drawings reminded me a little of the opening titles to Tom Riley's "Da Vinci's Demons" television drama - and the narrative emphasises quite engagingly the visionary nature of a man who quite literally walked a fine line between science, religion and a bonfire! It's probably twenty minutes too long, but once we get going there is plenty of imaginative action to keep it watchable.