"Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?" ~Albus Dumbledore

Wednesday 16 May 2012

Dark Shadows

Yes, it is time for another movie review - this time, the new Tim Burton film which has received very mixed reviews. Well, now it's time to add mine to the mix!

I had read some bad reviews before going to see this last night, which was probably a bad idea. I was really looking forward to this film and some critics almost ruined it for me. So, I knew what I was letting myself in for: a man cursed to be a vampire by a scorned lover, wakes up two centuries later to find his descendants living in his run-down house. Sounds great, right? A typical Georgian man, polite and proper, waking up in the 1970's, played by Johnny Depp.

I loved the basic story, the love between Barnabas (Depp) and Josette - although it take me a while to figure out for her name was because no one was saying it properly - going through what I am assuming was her descendant Vicky. And although she was a major psychotic bitch, I really loved the character Angelique, the witch that cursed him, his family, made Josette jump off a cliff, etc. She really made me laugh but seriously, she was insane! It takes some real devotion to hate someone for centuries!

I think the one thing that did annoy me with this film was that there was a lot going on - the seven people living in the house and all their motivations and history got a little confusing, especially with a random revelation with the daughter tacked on the end. Also, the Georgian gentleman in the free-love seventies was funny at the beginning but there is only so many times he can compliment a woman's birthing hips before it gets old.

Oh, Helena Bonham Carter was brilliant. Not the leading lady but still fantastic at the drunk psychiatrist that was stealing Barnabas' blood. I could see the twist ending coming but still good. 

I can't really think of anything else to mention right now. The characters were engaging and funny and interesting to keep the film going good but with so much stuff, bits were skipped over and/or ignored. I would honestly recommend seeing this film, it was good but I think it could have been better. Plus, you do have to understand Tim Burton at least a little.

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