NOSTALGIC viewers will revisit their youth with this surprise return to Moominvalley.

Tove Jansson's Moomins may not have been on our screens since 1993 but it will feel as if no time has passed at all with the carefree hippo-like characters lovingly brought back to life.

Forget disastrous children's story film adaptations like Postman Pat and Garfield where the characters' charm is lost in a wave of modern 3D graphics.

Moomins on the Riviera uses pastel colours and old-fashioned animation techniques to give the movie a timeless feel (apart from the odd nod to our modern obsession with celebrity lifestyle).

The story sees the fairytale characters, originally from the Finnish comic strip, stumble upon some pirates who give them a taste for adventure.

So they set off on a journey and risk stormy seas to reach 'The Riviera' where the rich, famous and snooty go on holiday.

Moominpappa befriends an aristocrat, Snorkmaiden is dazzled by a playboy and Moomintroll feels the painful sting of jealousy.

As you might expect, the story is very gentle exploring the joy of adventure, what it is like to feel out of place and encouraging us all to embrace a simpler way of life.

But Xavier Picard's film also relies a little too heavily on the Moomins' retro charm and it is debatable what a new generation of tech-savvy youngsters will take from it.

- Moomins on the Riviera is released on September 28.