I enjoyed this movie, and there's much to like in it. It's visually thrilling, and has some really creative props and sets. The characters are all charming, like a weird combination of street performers and a team of comic book heroes. It's like an extended version of the scene in Amelié where she terrorizes the fruit merchant, only here it happens to two characters (who blame each other for it). The traps and "heists" are all enjoyable as creative and cartoonish schemes, and I can imagine Jeunet had as much fun coming up with them hat I had watching them.
The only thing that is really lacking in this movie is the level of ambition. Jeunet has not set out to create a marvelous story, instead using his charms and creativity to create an fun little story that can be enjoyed by young and old. If there's a comment on weapons manufacturers, it's about as strong as a Disney comic. None of the characters has much of an arch through the movie, all of them ending up pretty much as they started (only in different circumstances). There's a love story, but it's only function is for some gags throughout. I'm not saying all of these are bad things - but just not what Jeunet seems to want from this movie.
The only thing that is really lacking in this movie is the level of ambition. Jeunet has not set out to create a marvelous story, instead using his charms and creativity to create an fun little story that can be enjoyed by young and old. If there's a comment on weapons manufacturers, it's about as strong as a Disney comic. None of the characters has much of an arch through the movie, all of them ending up pretty much as they started (only in different circumstances). There's a love story, but it's only function is for some gags throughout. I'm not saying all of these are bad things - but just not what Jeunet seems to want from this movie.