Without even having to investigate it, it is safe to say there is an exhaustive amount of information regarding the incomparable Leonardo Da Vinci, there’s a series of books that turned movies into him, countless and copious amounts of academia, and most certainly more films that are inspired or directly linked to his works than I can possibly think of. Was there a need for another biopic – in sense – on Da Vinci, to put it shortly, no, but what Pierre-Luc Granjon and Jim Capobianco (who co-direct the movie, while Jim solely is credited with writing the movie) create is something magical. Instead of focusing on Da Vinci in his prime and creating the wonders we know today, it focuses on the final four years of his life in an extraordinary work of animation that is suitable for literally all ages.
The film focuses on Leonardo Da Vinci (Stephen Fry) as he is constantly battling Pope Leo XI (Matt Berry) over his ideology of souls and humanity. He is then brought to the King of France (Gauthier Battoue) who is willing to give Da Vinci what he yearns for, but ultimately at the cost of what he himself wants. While the King’s mother, Louise de Savoy (Marion Cotillard) thinks Da Vinci’s ideas are nonsensical, and thusly defeats Da Vinci’s spirit he meets Princess Marguerite (Daisy Ridley) who inspires him to keep on going and creating and following his creative pathology as we all know he inevitably did. What, on surface level, feels like a specific biopic of a segment of life of the great Leonardo Da Vinci turns into a beautiful tale of just believing in someone and letting the world shine for their brilliance.
What makes The Inventor more than your typical biopic that drudges on hitting just the highlight reel of the subject’s life here lies within the creation and performances of the movie itself. The voice work of Stephen Fry, Daisy Ridley, Marion Cotillard, and Matt Berry are all exceptional and lend their voices to create the beautifully animated world that speaks to how inventive and brilliant Da Vinci truly was. Their voice work breathes life into this real-life characters and creates a world for the audience to get lost in without being disillusioned and swayed to feel one way or another about the masterful creator.However, without the beautiful animation that Pierre Luc-Granjon and Jim Capobianco created is, simply put, one of the most beautiful things to grace a screen this year. It is intricate and delicate simultaneously blending both 2D animation and stop motion to create this world, it is simply delectable and makes the world of Leonardo Da Vinci far less of a history lesson in a way and more one of a world to explore of sheer beauty and brilliance. The Inventor creates a beautiful world for the audience to get lost in, while boasting marvellous voice work for the audience to not only fall in love with the beauty on screen but the message and ultimately life of Leonardo Va Vinci.
