Review of Dark Shadows (2012) by Jesse M — 03 Sep 2013

THIS IS TIM BURTON ON AUTO PILOT.

Going into Dark Shadows I noticed Burton's first mistake from the onset. He throws exposition at the very start of it thus taking away any mystery or imagination from the audience. A film of this sort needs both of those things, otherwise you just go thru the whole film knowing everything about the character from the very beginning leaving nothing to discover.

That's the problem with the entire film. The narrative is so unfocused, that it meanders along while throwing typical Tim Burton razzle dazzle and quirky humor onto the screen. There's technical wizardry of course, and as always it LOOKS good. Burton has always had a problem with substance though. Like the ole saying in the film critiquing world "style over substance".

The whole cast is dull and easily overshadowed by Depp's audacious persona. Everyone else just goes through the motions much like the plot, and Depp is given his usual play things to put something on the screen worth watching.

Per usual Depp puts in his all for Burton, but the shtick from both parties is tired and predictable. I'm no longer enchanted, but rather fatigued by it. The casting of his wife Helena Bonham Carter is also tiresome. For someone with such a vivid imagination as Tim, he sure has trouble thinking outside the box. He plays it safe, and never goes outside his comfort zone. Never challenges himself, and is way too self indulgent.

As technically sound as his films have been even Dark Shadows, he's lost his edge and his ability to be different from the rest. Let's face it he can direct a movie like this in his sleep. Perhaps that is indeed his technique now. It's unfortunate that Burton has become the very thing he always obsessed about.... a living corpse, a shell of his former self.

Overall it's a good looking, but ultimately yet another aimless shameless star vehicle made purely for unapologetic Burton/Depp fans who will take anything he throws at em.

Thankfully this film was a box office failure, and hopefully tells Burton and Co. to put this oddly obsessive collaboration with Depp to rest. Put it in a coffin, chain it up, and just bury it for good.