Hugo

At first glance, Oscar-winner Martin Scorsese might seem an odd choice to direct Hugo, a 3D family film with none of the gritty violence that he has made a career hallmark.

Delve deeper into the subject matter, however, and Scorsese seems a natural fit for a story about a youngster in 1930s Paris whose adventure leads him to develop a love for silent films, the preservation of which Scorsese himself has championed for decades.

Thematically, the story likely is a personal one for the filmmaker, who talks with fondness about becoming a movie buff at a young age. So it’s not surprising that his ode to pioneer filmmaker Georges Melies is tender and heartwarming.

The film chronicles a precocious orphan named Hugo (Asa Butterfield) who lives inside the walls of a train station and spends much of his time being chased by a bumbling station inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen) and his dog.

Later Hugo befriends a girl (Chloe Grace Moretz) and stumbles upon a mysterious automaton that leads him on an adventure involving a vendor (Ben Kingsley) with a secret about his past.

Scorsese feels right at home working in 3D, using the format to create a visual treat filled with memorable images. From a lengthy opening tracking shot, the filmmaker keeps his camera moving, whether it is whisking through a clock with grinding gears or re-creating a scene from an early silent picture.

It’s hard to gauge how children might respond to Hugo. The film is too long and carries a deliberate pace that rewards patience that kids don’t often have. Screenwriter John Logan (The Aviator) based the script on a novel by Brian Selznick, and deserves credit for not pandering to the type of low-brow clichés so prevalent in family fare these days.

Kids might identify with Hugo’s curiosity, if not his love for literature and silent films. Otherwise, Cohen effectively supplies some comic relief.

The technical credits are top-notch, as Scorsese works with several of his Oscar-winning frequent collaborators including production designer Dante Ferretti, editor Thelma Schoonmaker and costume designer Sandy Powell.

The supporting cast likewise is superb, with small roles for Jude Law, Ray Winstone, Emily Mortimer and Christopher Lee.

Despite its minor flaws, the film defies convention and expectations, and transports audiences to a fanciful world that’s both breathtaking and poignant.

Rated PG, 127 minutes.