Review of Dark Shadows (2012) by Stevenf — 23 Apr 2013

Haven't watched the TV show, but I think films should be all about their own merit and what they bring to the table, and from the research into the TV show of the same name, it was a classic. This film on the other hand, certainly isn't.

Dark Shadows begins with a bang, Burton takes cues from his work on his own version of Willy Wonka by showing us a small montage of where it all began, we see how Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) is madly in love with Josette (Bella Heathcote), but his recent affair with Angelique (Eva Green) reveals a truth that he may just have never wanted to find, her witchcraft skills manage to see off Barnabas's parents, and when further tragedy strikes, the evil Angelique curses our lovestruck hero, making him a vampire and subsequently burying him.

We fast forward 200 years when the vampire Barnabas is accidentally set free, much to to the dismay of Angelique who has continued to live on throughout the centuries. Unfortunately when Barnabas arrives at his former manor of Collinwood, this is where the true confusion of this flawed film sets in. Its never clear what story is being told, there are small and silly moments of comedy, there is also romance, but throw in some drama, or attempt at a dramatic piece anyway, and you do have quite a layered mess of two hours.

We are introduced to quite the ensemble of a cast, characters that are miraculously left out for the true plot of the film.

Michelle Pfeiffer delivers a convincing turn as the head of the Collins house, but for most of the film she seems to be wandering around with nothing to do. Chloe Moretz plays her daughter, the rebel and typically moody teen who again, is introduced in what could be a major plot development, but is left as an after-thought. There is just the constant feel that the film isn't going anywhere, and feels too clustered for squeezing so many characters but not giving them a story behind them.

Johnny Depp can always be relied on to give a fine performance, but for someone who is consistently a fan of the Burton/Depp collaboration, it does seem to unfortunately be waining.

There are fine sets and typically gothic Burton touches to costumes and make-up which certainly give it his stamp, but the overall pace and writing of the film feels very out of touch and was truly disappointing after the opening 15 minutes.

No amount of 70s jokes or even Barnabas's reaction to his new world could save this film from being a dull and under-developed experience.