Dark Shadows (2012) User Reviews (620)

Empty Darkness

[billygoat1071 · 6/10 · 10 May 2012]

Tim Burton is probably one of the best choices to direct a Dark Shadows movie. He's always good at making Dark, Gothic films and everyone's expecting it to be something like Sweeney Todd and Sleepy Hollow. Instead, it has a hybrid of Corpse Bride and Beetlejuice. It begins with decent gloominess but the rest is scattered with groovy soundtrack and colorful images. But that may not be the problem. It's actually pretty good at recapturing the 70's. The main problem is the plot development. It's fun but also disappointing.

It looks promising in the beginning. Tim Burton uses his campy directing style which made the intro intriguing. It get silly when Barnabas returns from his grave. Exploring the changes of his town. It's quite funny and delightful. There's a good character development in this that made it entertaining. Johnny Depp gives a delightful performance as Barnabas Collins. Eva Green is quite menacing as Angelique. Jackie Earle Haley and Helena Bonham Carter are the extra comic relief. Chloë Moretz is always good at bad girl roles.

There's a lot of fun going on, but in the end, the experience feels like something's missing. It could have been an interesting story but it ends pretty lazy. There are couple of senseless twists that aren't consistent. At least there is something good in the filmmaking. The production design is quite decent and sometimes unlikely colorful. Postmodern music are played often which made Danny Elfman's music score hard to notice. But these merits can't fix the film's storytelling.

Dark Shadows is undeniably entertaining and nothing else. There are things that could have been better. I don't think the colorful groovy look is the problem. It just needs a better ending that gives consistency to the story. People can still give it a try for its camp. There's a true vampire here that is nothing like our modern vampires. Dark Shadows is not bad. It's just unsatisfying. It has the color, life, and all but what's missing is a proper plot development.

looks really good, but just not fun

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 31 August 2013]

Barnabas (Johnny Depp) is a successful man in 1770s town of Collinsport, Maine. He makes the mistake of breaking the heart of a powerful witch Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green). She in turn dooms him into a vampire, and then buries him alive. Two centuries later, Barnabas is accidentally released into the world of 1972. His Collinwood Manor has fallen into disrepair. The dysfunctional remnants of the Collins family have fared little better.

This has the great Gothic look of Tim Burton. He is able to have both a 70s look and an old Gothic look. However it is very difficult to root for Barnabas who is essentially a killing monster. It is not fun. And it is not funny. Although there is a monster sex scene that produced a few smiles.

OK if you haven't seen the older versions

[earlytalkie · 5/10 · 11 May 2012]

I am a huge fan of the old Dark Shadows shows. I liked the old series, bloopers and all. I liked the films House of Dark Shadows and to a lesser degree Night of Dark Shadows. I liked the 1991 revival series of Dark Shadows. This new Tim Burton/Johnny Depp version has some good elements in it, like the costumes, soundtrack and special effects, but the problem here lies in the written word. The script relies too much on gags, some funny and some rather lame. The basic characters are mostly here with the exception of the melding of Maggie Evans into Victoria Winters, and the actor playing Willie Loomis does a better job with the character than did the one from the 1991 revival, who chose (or was directed) to play the role as a half-wit.(The one element I disliked about the revival). The 1970s music, cars, costumes and hairdos are spot-on and add to the comfy 1970s feel of the piece. The climax is all special effects and one "revelation" of the plot is so absurdly done here that it is (unintentionally) laughable. In all, I would say that this film may appeal more to those who never saw any of the original versions of this than the fans of them. I didn't hate this film, I just didn't love it either.

Love theme, story, but execution falls flat

[0U · 23 February 2020]

Dark Shadows offers stunning visuals, a delightfully dark atmosphere, quirky humor, and a talented cast in spite of an inconsistent story and a lack of narrative focus

NEEDED A WRITER

[nogodnomasters · 6/10 · 13 August 2018]

They assembled an all-star cast for this film. They included "dark" favorites such as Alice Cooper and Christopher Lee. Character actors like Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. Toss in Chloë Grace Moretz, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green and a great soundtrack and you would think you would have a great film, right? They forgot to hire a writer.

The film opens with a long narration to give us the 196 year old background, then shifts to 1972. Some of the humor involves the typical 200 year old man stuff coming into a strange era. It also had the immature "balls" humor. The dialogue was bad. It managed to be campy without being funny. The advantage of bringing the series to the big screen would be the use of great special effects limited by a stage. This was underutilized.

This movie was classless. None of these women could hold a candle to Lara Parker. And if you are going to give 1972 as the year the movie takes place, why would you play music that wasn't released until 1978? I thought Chloë Grace Moretz did great in her role. Gulliver McGrath as David was also fairly decent. The writing, editing and directing killed this film. Wait for the rental.

No f-bombs or nudity. Weird sex scene.

Family Is the Only Real Wealth

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 6 October 2012]

In 1760, the Collins family moves from Liverpool to the Maine to expand the family empire and dedicate to fishing business. One year later, they are successful and the city of Collinsport is raised in the place. Then, for fifteen years, Joshua and Naomi Collins build their Collinswood mansion. Their servant Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green) has an unrequited love for their son Barnabas (Johnny Depp) that actually loves Josette DuPres (Bella Heathcote). But Angelique is a powerful witch that curses Barnabas and his family, killing his parents, Josette and turning him into a vampire. Then she brings the locals that lock him in a coffin and bury him for the eternity.

In 1972, the young Victoria Winters (Bella Heathcote) comes to the decadent Collinswood to be the tutor of the young David Collins (Gulliver McGrath), who lost his mother two years ago. She finds a dysfunctional family composed by the devoted matriarch Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (Michelle Pfeiffer) ahead of the family business that is near bankruptcy; her rebel daughter Carolyn Stoddard (Chloë Grace Moretz); her brother and David's father Roger Collins (Jonny Lee Miller); the psychiatrist Dr. Julia Hoffman (Helena Bonham Carter) that takes car of David; and the servants Willie Loomis (Jackie Earle Haley) and Mrs. Johnson (Ray Shirley).

When eleven workers release and awake Barnabas, he drinks their blood and returns to Collinswood. He meets Elizabeth and she tells that the family has been cursed, and Barnabas shows a hidden room with a treasure in side and he promises to protect them and assume the business. When he sees Victoria, he rekindles his love for her. But the witch Angie is still alive and is prominent in the town and she has not forgotten Barnabas.

"Dark Shadows" is a film by Tim Burton that has a promising beginning but the development is lost between comedy and horror. As usual, the dark cinematography is awesome and the music score is spectacular, with hits from the 70's. This film is certainly not among the best films by Tim Burton, but is entertaining. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Sombras da Noite" ("Night Shadows")

Darkish

[alanbittencourtx · 7/10 · 13 May 2012]

I love Johnny Depp and I love Tim Burton. Together they can be sublime. Look at "Ed Wood" and "Sweeney Todd" Here, well here they seem kind of lost. Everything is in over the top tones without getting to the root of anything. The performances are shrill and disconnected with the exception of the wonderful Helena Bonham Carter. The script is underwritten and the story is tired and unconvincing but in the present film going landscape it is more enjoyable than most others. I'm tempted to advise Mr. Burton and Mr.Depp to be a bit more daring in their intentions. We're all aware of Burton's visual wizardry and of Depp's remarkable beauty and talent, why not put all that at the service of something meaningful?

Insults about half of the original fans

[melody23 · 4/10 · 11 May 2012]

With the admonition, "I never liked the bitch anyway," the Willie character in the new DS dispatched my favorite Dark Shadows character, pretty much summing up Depp and Burton's apparent opinion of her. For me, Dark Shadows was about Julia and Barnabas. Their chemistry created the dynamic that made the show work for me. I'm not only a first- generation DS fan, I'm the co-author of the Dark Shadows Companion.

Johnny Depp, supposedly a first-generation fan, even though he's two years younger than I am and I'm supposedly very young for a first generation fan, apparently thinks Barnabas Collins is part moral icon, part victim of his crotch. I wonder if Depp was watching the same series I was. As much as I loved the original Barnabas, I see no trace of the character in his interpretation. Frankly, the minute he murdered Julia, the whole movie collapsed for me -- the implied oral sex scene was bad enough, but the killing finished it. In the House of Dark Shadows big-screen remake this was accepted by fans because the series was still on-going. Depp does not have that salvation.

I really don't care that she's alive for the sequel. I doubt there will be a sequel. If there is, it's still not the characters I grew up with.

However, we're supposed to be reviewing what the film is, not what it's not. What it is, is an overstuffed suitcase that somebody sat on in order to zip it shut. It spills out all over everywhere. The cohesiveness is forced. The characters are largely unrecognizable. As I watched the film, I was at first taken by the wonderful graphics, but Collinwood seemed to morph into Disneyland's Haunted Mansion.

There are some good performances, it's occasionally slightly funny, it's graphically intense and interesting, but Depp and Burton seem to have nothing but contempt for the original series. I'm sorry, but flawed and bad as it could be, Dark Shadows was still far more compelling on its tiny budget than this movie was with its huge one.

What a shame -- and a waste. I really wanted to like it.

one of the best of the Hollywood re-imaginings...

[A_Different_Drummer · 8/10 · 10 January 2017]

Lets be frank. If you had a dime for every time Hollywood took something dusty and old, and tried to turn it into something shiny and new, you could retire.

In fact, most of these attempts barely work. But (having seen this one front to back three times since its first release) I believe this is an exception and moreover I believe that viewers have become so jaded to these attempts that they instinctively rebelled against the film (hence the low rating) without even giving it a chance.

The script by Seth Grahame-Smith is witty and clever and engaging. And wonderfully demented. The cast is to die for. Eva Green and Johnny Depp are at the peak of their craft, delivering with a straight face bits of dialog that lesser actors would choke on. The supporting cast (almost all A-list with a young Chloë Grace Moretz) is rock solid.

Overall a delightfully deranged yet still entertaining exercise in being silly -- which is exactly what Hollywood aims for in these odd exercises.

The IMDb rating is much too low. Give it another chance.

As wonderful as Tim Burton-Johnny Depp collaborations come, this is a visually sumptuous treat with a delightfully eccentric performance by Depp

[moviexclusive · 7/10 · 10 May 2012]

Few director-star collaborations have been as fruitful as that of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, or for that matter quite so deliciously eccentric, and their eighth time together proves no different.

Never mind if you haven't any inkling of the cult '70s daytime soap opera on which this is based- a swiftly told prologue recalls the setup by telling of the Collins' voyage to America, their instrumental role in the founding of the Maine seaside town called Collinsport by starting up a successful fishery business, and most importantly, of their heir Barnabas' unfortunate run-in with a jealous witch Angelique (Eva Green). Spurned by Barnabas for another named Josette (Bella Heathcote), Angelique hypnotises her to throw herself off a cliff while turning Barnabas into a vampire and imprisoning him in a coffin.

It will be nearly two centuries later by the time some construction workers inadvertently free him, awakening Barnabas to an unfamiliar era where he promptly mistakes the golden arches of a McDonald's for Mephistopheles. That's not the end of the fish-out-of-water jokes that passes as humour- other than the anachronistic values about women and childbirth that Barnabas still clings to, he is just as out of step in front of a TV playing a Karen Carpenter show or among a bunch of hippies.

Fans of the original series may object to the deliberately campy tone that Burton and his screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith (with an extra story credit to Burton's frequent writing partner John August) adopt for the movie, but those less bound by expectations will lap up Johnny Depp's delightfully quirky rendition of Barnabas. As always, Depp is a master at facial reactions, with every twitch and raised eyebrow perfectly calibrated to elicit maximum hilarity. Depp and Burton are fully aware of the campiness, but both embrace it so wholeheartedly that you can't quite help but be won by their fidelity.

There is also much more than just Barnabas' anachronism of course, with Smith giving the film its due weight in Barnabas' mission of restoring the former Collinwood empire to its former glory. Since locking Barnabas away, Angelique has spent her time building up her own booming fishing business. In the meantime, the Collins have been content to let their lives fall into decay like their sprawling mansion- among the dysfunctional members the matriarch Elizabeth (Michelle Pfeiffer), her dissolute brother Roger (Jonny Lee Miller), her impudent teenage daughter Carolyn (Chloe Grace Moretz) and Roger's disturbed young son David (Gully McGrath).

However kooky they may be, Barnabas regards them one and all as family- and as Depp's opening voice-over emphasises, blood is indeed thicker than water. Burton-Depp's collaborations have always demonstrated a tremendous amount of heart for peculiar characters, and this latest reaffirms their love for characters of different quirks and idiosyncrasies.

Restoring the empire to its former lustre earns the ire of none other than Angelique itself, the ensuing love-hate relationship between the pair giving the film a mildly sexual edge as well as a thrilling climax which culminates in a visually sumptuous showdown. Admittedly the pace does amble on with little narrative tension for most of the movie, but Burton eventually satiates the thirst for bombast in summer audiences with an extended ending made with most of the film's inflated budget unheard of in the days of the TV series' miniscule own.

To be fair, some of that has obviously gone into the ornate sets by production designer Rick Heinrichs as well as the elaborate costumes designed by Colleen Atwood. As is Burton's signature, the imagery stands out as much as the characters do, and the finale is a perfect example of the visual richness of Burton's warped imagination brought to life with CGI. But Burton is not foolish enough to rely simply on these modern-day devices, relying too on good-old fashioned casting to ensure that his film is also a rapturous delight.

Any actor besides Depp would probably be upstaged by the fine female cast, each of whom shine not simply because of Atwood's colourful costumes. The standout would probably be Green, who plays Angelique with bewitching aplomb, projecting sass and menace with razor-sharp precision and setting off dangerous sparks with Depp as ex-lovers. With Green's showy performance, it's easy to ignore Pfeiffer's more understated but no less loopy own, the actress who once played Catwoman in Burton's 'Batman Returns' clearly relishing one of her best roles in recent years. Bonham Carter unfortunately gets sidelined in this film, her act as a neurotic shrink underwritten and quite out-of-place amidst the other unfolding plot lines.

Amidst the new faces, Burton also pays homage to the original actors of the TV series by inviting four of them- Jonathan Frid, Lara Parker, Kathryn Leigh Scott and David Selby- to appear briefly in the film, as well as the era's definitive musician Alice Cooper for an extended cameo. Despite his irreverent take on the material, Burton is clearly in love with the artefacts of the '70s, and the film's awesome soundtrack with the likes of Moody Blues and the Carpenters is testament to that.

So yes, fans of the TV series will have to accept that this big-screen adaptation is a reimagining of the original. Yet for those without that historical baggage, it is with any of the Burton-Depp collaborations that have come before it a thoroughly enjoyable visual feast filled with offbeat characters that turn out ghoulishly endearing. This is clearly a passion project for both Depp and Burton, and 'Dark Shadows' as its deliberately idiosyncratic title suggests is an unusual summer season offering that packs its own unique brand of kooky appeal.

DULL with little bite. Depp is playing dress up

[cliffcarson-1 · 3/10 · 11 May 2012]

Oh the possibilities that were missed here. Except for the character names and a similar architecture in the house this film bares very little resemblance to DARK SHADOWS. The movie starts out beautifully and then goes off in so many awkward directions that it never finds what kind of movie it's trying to be. A few scattered laughs here and there do not compensate for a poorly conceived story that meanders itself to the point of being dull and confusing. What can you say about a movie that only comes to life in it's montages set to a pop songs from the early 1970's? Depp doesn't even attempt to capture any of the guilt ridden angst of Barnabas Collins. His Barnabas is a trick or treat Pirates of the Caribbean, very much like a kid playing dress up on Halloween and with two emotions, upset and more upset. Film has some nice set pieces but Burton doesn't bring any true Gothic feeling or sense of dread to the surroundings. The script has that throw everything up against the wall and see what sticks feel to it. Burtons direction comes off in a conveyor belt "okay, let's shoot this one" tone with interest only in visuals, which are striking. He's really more of a visual artist than he is a film director. Indeed, one gets the feeling that this film would never have been made if not for Johnny Depp and his love for the original series which is evident here. It's unfortunate that he relies too heavily on make up to carry his performance. Helean Bonham Carter has no interest in being in the film and it shows, doing it only as a favor to her husband. Eva Green is the type of actress Tim Burton is attracted to and loves to cast in his films, but she possesses little of Angelique's spellbinding jealousy. The only one in the cast that has a hint of what these surroundings should be played like is Michelle Pfeiffer. She is the Grande dame of Dark Shadows capturing both the Gothic feel of the original story and the magnificence of the character.

Reveal yourself, tiny songstress!!

[FlashCallahan · 8/10 · 23 September 2012]

Joshua and Naomi Collins, and son Barnabas, start a new life in America. But even an ocean was not enough to escape the mysterious curse that has plagued their family.

Two decades pass and Barnabas has the world at his feet, and as the master of Collinwood Manor, Barnabas is rich, powerful and an inveterate playboy, until he makes the grave mistake of breaking the heart of Angelique.

Angelique turns him into a vampire, and then buries him alive.

Two centuries later, Barnabas is inadvertently freed from his tomb and awakes to 1972.

He returns to Collinwood Manor to find that his once-grand estate has fallen into ruin....

This has to be the most Tim Burton Tim Burton movie since Mars Attacks! and I can see why many found this not what they expected, it's very left field, and at times does no know what genre it wants to be in.

Depp as always is utterly fantastic as Barnabas, a gentleman and a ruthless killer all at once. And the rest of the cast are all great with the exception of Pfeiffer.

She really has nothing to do in the movie and really her role could have been cut and the film wouldn't have suffered. It's not her fault, but all the other key characters have some sort of subplot going on in the film.

It's funny at times, very funny, and then it can be dark and truly chilling (the scene with the hippies is one of these key elements), which is probably why it will struggle to find a demographic.

But it's really good, and never really let's up until the final act, when it goes literally over the top. The sets are sublime and as you would expect from the man who gave us 'Beetlejuice' (which this film is most like) its very kooky and psychedelic.

It's a love it or hate it film, and I really understand why, luckily I loved it

somehow not that good

[EchoMaRinE · 7/10 · 6 July 2012]

My overall opinion is not negative but I feel like the idea is wasted a bit. The movie started pretty good. But after twenty minutes, everything became predictable. It was not boring but it was not very entertaining either. I don't even think this movie is comedy. There are very few jokes. Overall acting was kind of OK but Depp is becoming a very one dimensional actor by playing always similar characters. The scenery was pretty good and I must say, visuals were quite good as well. At the end, I wouldn't watch this movie once more but at least I didn't regret paying for it. If you didn't like the other Depp and Burton movies, don't even think watching this one.

One of the most boring films I've seen in a long time

[lance-pinto · 3/10 · 9 May 2012]

Just got back from an early screening of the movie. As someone who like Johnny Depp, I was excited to watch the movie, but nearly ended up walking out of the screening halfway through the movie. There are hardly any entertaining moments, an extremely weak plot, and some very average acting. Sure, Johnny Depp may be a brilliant actor, but there's only so much an actor can do to salvage an immensely boring film. The weak development of the love story, limited exploitation of what could have been some interesting time-travel anachronisms and absurd additions to the plot (like ghosts and werewolves who remain mute spectators throughout the movie only to appear at the very end) were insulting to the intelligent movie-goer..

Mediocre, but with excellent production

[Elvis-Del-Valle · 7/10 · 24 March 2023]

To begin with, this film has good technical details and is visually acceptable. The production design is good, the soundtrack composed by Danny Elfman is also acceptable, the effects are not bad and I really liked Johnny Depp's vampire appearance. Another thing that I cannot miss is the character of Eva Green, since to be honest she is very succulent and it was difficult to take your eyes off her. The look of the movie is fine, but the movie itself is something else. It is supposedly a black comedy and although I laughed a little when I saw it in the cinema, now I have to say that when I saw it again it didn't seem very good as a comedy. The jokes are not well balanced with the tone of the film and instead of being a laughable comedy, the truth is that it is somewhat boring. I think that without the jokes it might have been better, since it has serious moments that stand out. There's not much to add, because those who have seen it understand my point and the only excuse I have for watching this movie is because of the technical details and the cast and Eva Green. The only thing I can say about this movie is that I found it mediocre. Visually and technically it's not bad, but as a comedy movie it's not good. My rating for this movie is 7/10 and I would only watch it again to take in the visual quality and drool over Eva Green's sexy moments.

Excellent Setup but the second half was rushed

[WatermelonJones · 6/10 · 11 October 2021]

Setup was great but once the second and third act rolled around it felt like scenes were missing. Love interest dissapears for the last third. The fathers absence is never felt because he and the sons dynamic was never established. The sons ability to talk to his ghost mother didnt feel like a payoff because it was never fully established and the love interests back story seemed way more intresting than what was teased on screen. Still an enjoyable film overall.

Don't bother.

[ilydshut · 21 May 2012]

I am a Johnny Depp and Tim Burton fan girl!!!!! That being said...

The intro excited me, but the rest of the movie made me regret buying the tickets. The movie is a downward spiral of awkward acting and bad jokes.

Burton's visuals are wonderful as always. His colors and scenes make you believe you are where he wants you to be, but the dialogue is simply horrendous for most of the movie. You get rewarded by a few funny jokes for not walking out of the theater once Collins reaches the house, but otherwise are left feeling underwhelmed.

I wont spoil it with details (not that there is much to spoil), but I will say this: Leave your lofty expectations at the theater door so you don't get pushed off cloud nine only to land on 100 degree cement... barefoot.

Retrospective Reviews- Dark Shadows (2012)

[tyreeewebster · 7/10 · 18 May 2012]

Johnny Depp and Tim Burton return in a triumphant revival and show us why the Hell we see their movies! After the immensely frightening, mediocre and humourless film that was 'ALICE IN WONDERLAND' in 2010, Tim Burton goes back to his Gothic roots in this film about a 17th century Vampire that is locked away and awakens in 1972, hoping to reconnect with his almost extinct family.

First of all, to make things clear, I am NOT a fan of the original television series that this film is based upon, I only found out about it once this film was in the early development stages, but I AM a fan of Tim Burton (who is my favourite director) and Johnny Depp (who also happens to be one of my favourite actors), and I love it every time they join to do a movie, because every time they make a film, it is always different from their previous film, for example, 'EDWARD SCISSORHANDS' in 1990 was a suttle, small scale beautiful fairytale, and then we get 'SLEEPY HOLLOW' in 1999 which was a loud, anarchic, horror story, with a large scale, and so on. This film was extremely different to 'ALICE', it was darker, wittier and most of all a better production.

To start off, Johnny Depp as 'THE MAD HATTER', he wasn't bad in the role, but it wasn't his best role either. His character was quirky and fun to look at, but was just a tad too scary for younger viewers, who were the original target audience, then we see him in the more adult film 'DARK SHADOWS' as Barnabas Collins, he is less scary but does a lot more frightening things, his character is played off as an untouchable playboy who doesn't know that he is out of place and doesn't really understand that he makes the characters around him feel strange and uneasy, but the character is so rude, and so oblivious to the fact that he talks down to other people that we actually like him and enjoy his character. Forgot to mention the fact that his character is so funny and Depp's performance in this film is probably one of his best since, maybe Ichabod Crane. This is all because of Burton's direction and the type of film it is. The other actors did a good job in their roles, but were not seen enough for character development due to the many scenes of Barnabas trying to adapt to his new home and his run- ins with the film villain, Angelique played by Eva Green. But even SHE wasn't seen as much as Depp. But, I'd like to focus on Burton. His trademark style shines it's brightest in this film, as he clearly shows why he is more of a visual artist than a storyteller, the strange shapes and dark, quirky but childlike atmosphere is ALL here, but sometimes lacks the real Gothic nature of Burton's previous efforts.

The story isn't the best, but is easy to follow. To wrap up, this film IS a comedy, a very funny one, but is also a dark, strange Gothic horror film, and the comedy is actually quite hidden. So, 'DARK SHADOWS' fans and Burton/Depp fans should be pleased by this film, it is dark, funny and overall classic Tim Burton. So, ignore the poor reviews.

DARK SHADOWS

Directed by: TIM BURTON

Based on the TV series created by: DAN CURTIS

Starring: JOHNNY DEPP, MICHELLE PFEIFFER, HELENA BONHAM CARTER, EVA GREEN, JACKIE EARLE HALEY, JONNY LEE MILLER, CHLOE GRACE MORETZ, BELLA HEATHCOTE and ALICE COOPER

Tired formula and a disappointing movie

[wewatchedamovie1 · 4/10 · 11 May 2012]

Let's leave it all at the door here. I loved Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and Batman. Hated Batman Returns, Alice in Wonderland, and Willy Wonka. Could care less about Nightmare before Christmas and Sweeney Todd. Okay, so I'm not a Tim Burton hater. I'm not a huge Tim Burton fan. I think in this situation, I'm as close as you get to the average movie goer. No agenda, no attachments. That being said, this film is terrible. Burton spent so much effort and time worrying about making this film Gothic and off pace, stuffing his favorite actors into the film even though half of their parts were pointless, he forgot he was making a film. It's a simple and fun idea but it feels like ego and "showiness" kept them from making the plot even make sense. We get it Tim! You are weird! Don't ruin a good performance by Depp and a fun idea for a film because you have to live up to your own Gothic standards. Grow up. So much talent is wasted on these films having the same look, cast, and feel to them. Take that talent and make something fresh! Stretch yourself just a tad out of that Hot Topic comfort zone will ya? This movie was long, boring, and ruined. All of the funny scenes were in the trailer. By the way.... wasn't this supposed to be the 70's? Other than a shot or two of trees and a hippie van it was just like the set of Sweeney Todd. The whole film felt like London in the 40's. That's bad film making whether your name is Tim Burton or not.

Surpassed My Expectations

[rannynm · 10/10 · 29 October 2012]

The film Dark Shadows opened to an eagerly awaiting audience of both Tim Burton and Johnny Depp fans. Based on the ABC daytime show which aired during the late 1960s which generated a cult following, what was taken seriously in the late 60s / early 70s comes across as comedy today. The majority of the movie is set in 1972 and incorporates music from the Moody Blues (Nights in White Satin) with appearances by Karen Carpenter in a TV scene, a cameo appearance by Alice Cooper and appearances by four of the original Dark Shadows actors including Jonathan Frid who passed away shortly after filming. Rated PG-13 for comic horror violence, sexual content , drug use, language and smoking, one of our 14-year-old critics, Raven Devanney rated it 6 out of 5 stars for ages 13 and up. Here's her take: Dark Shadows Reviewed by Raven Devanney http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2NE6UPSLcM Dark Shadows is a hilarious movie about a man named Barnibus Collins, who is cursed by an evil witch when he refuses to give her his love. Turned into a vampire, Barnibus is locked away in a coffin for two centuries. Now, freed by unsuspecting construction workers, Barnibus finds that his home town of Collins Port has drastically changed. He must learn to fit into the 70s while protecting his family, restoring Collins Port to its former glory and riding himself of the evil witch, Angelique, who cursed him to be a creature forced to hide in dark shadows. I absolutely loved this movie. Johnny Depp, who plays Barnibus Collins, did fantastic! Johnny is one of my all time favorite actors and when he teams up with director Tim Burton, you know it's a film worth seeing. The cinematography was great because of the gloominess that you will often find in Tim Burton's films, but they found a flawless way to thrown in the bright colors of the 70's. The special effects were great too, especially in the end when Angelique's skin started to crack; she really looked as if she was made out of porcelain. Something that did bother me about the visuals was that the blood in the film looked way to fake considering that it is a vampire movie. My favorite character would have to be that daughter of the Collins family played by Chloe Moretz. One; she is my favorite young actress, two; she played a moody, mellow dramatic, angsty teenager perfectly. The acting in this film was priceless because there was a lot of over- acting, but not in a cheesy way, it was done very purposefully and it gave a wonderful comedic feel to dramatic situations. I suggest this film for ages 13 and up because of sexual situations, mild drug use and language. I would give this film 6 out of 5 stars because it far surpassed my expectations!

Hell hath no fury like a witchy woman scorned...

[Chalice_Of_Evil · 7/10 · 9 May 2012]

I'd never seen the original daytime Gothic soap that provides the source material for this film. So while those who *had* seen it were up in arms about how the trailers for this film didn't reflect the tone of the original TV series, I had no preconceived notions of how this movie "should" be. It looked intriguing enough, plus it had some very talented actors involved. I knew the basic premise of the film: Witch loves/is obsessed with man, man loves another, witch kills man's lover and curses man to be a vampire, buries him alive to suffer, 200+ years later vamp man is unearthed and finds himself in completely new era, then returns to his mansion which is now occupied by his dysfunctional distant relatives - this being the plot broken down to its most basic form.

Johnny Depp fashions another unique character portrayal for himself (if perhaps not as memorable/eccentric as his many previous ones). He plays Barnabas Collins mostly straight, allowing the character's fish out of water situation to provide the humour. He manages to make his character both human and monstrous at the same time (though it can be argued...how 'bad' is killing a bunch of hippies, *really*? At least he apologises beforehand). He also likes stroking furniture/stuff with his elongated fingers a lot. Depp's expressions/line deliveries are what elevate the character. He does the best with the material he's given. Playing opposite him as the scorned witchy lover from his past, Angelique, is the stunning Eva Green. She appears to be having a ball portraying 'Angie' (as she comes to be called later on when she's changed from a dark-haired servant girl to a successful business woman/CEO of Angel Bay and sporting new platinum blonde hair). Former Bond girl Green (who's had previous experience playing witches in The Golden Compass and Camelot) isn't afraid to go BIG with the role. She absolutely goes for it, and almost seems like she's in a film of her own, chewing scenery (with her wonderful red lips, which provide brilliant/scary grins on occasion) and not merely spitting, but rather projectile vomiting it out. The sex fight sequence between Angie and Barnabas - which takes place on the floor, the ceiling and every wall of a room, demolishing it completely - is pretty great (the post- coital cigarette/reveal of the destruction left in their wake got the biggest laugh at my theatre). Angelique - who wears the hell out of a sparkling red dress at one point - could have come across as very one dimensional, but in Eva Green's hands, by the end, she proves a tragic figure who *does* have a heart (despite all evidence to the contrary) and will literally rip it from her chest (still-beating) to give to the man she loves.

Reuniting with Burton, after her legendary performance as Catwoman in Batman Returns, is Michelle Pfeiffer as the matriarch of the Collins family, Elizabeth. Pfeiffer is very good in her role, as is Burton's partner and frequent collaborator, Helena Bonham Carter (playing psychiatrist Dr. Julia Hoffman, and looking a bit like how the Red Queen from Alice in Wonderland might have looked if she'd had a regular-sized head). Making a good first impression are Aussie actors Gulliver McGrath as David (the son of Elizabeth's brother, Roger - Johnny Lee Miller) and Bella Heathcote as Victoria Winters/Maggie Evans (who decides to take a job at the Collins Mansion as a governess, thanks to the ghost of Barnabas's original one true love, Josette - also played by Heathcote - who became Victoria's friend as a child that only she could see and consequently got her sent to a mental hospital). Heathcote is especially good, and should have a bright future ahead.

The movie's use of music (starting with The Moody Blues' 'Nights in White Satin') is one of the best things about the film. It fits perfectly throughout. The costuming is also really good. Danny Elfman's score is effective, as usual. On the downside is the underdevelopment of certain characters. Roger turns out to be just another lousy father to David, who's more interested in wealth than his son (as proved when threatened with an ultimatum by Barnabas). Jackie Earle Haley feels a bit wasted as Willie, who becomes a sort of 'Renfield' character to Barnabas - thanks to the vampire's magic hypnotising hand trick. Lastly, I don't get the obsession with Chloë Grace Moretz (who plays Elizabeth's daughter, Carolyn) that lots of people seem to have. Here she plays your typical angst-filled bitchy teen. It's ironic Carolyn asks Barnabas if he's stoned, when Moretz apparently thought the way to go with her character was to appear perpetually stoned herself, with no other facial expression but a permanent bitch-face. A WTF reveal about her character that comes out of nowhere near the end fails to make her any more interesting. If, however, you're interested in seeing a hairy Chloë Grace Moretz, then this film is most definitely for you.

The film looks great. It has the mood/atmosphere we've come to expect from Burton, mixing humour with gloom, and some surprising bits of violence. Hating on director Tim Burton and his regular collaborator Johnny Depp seems to be the 'in' thing nowadays for some people, but while this definitely isn't his best film, it's not as bad as others would have you believe either. Mostly, it just feels like a large mix of different things that don't always quite add up in the end. Of course there'll be those who choose to focus on the film's flaws, but I'm sure there'll also be others - like myself - who might find themselves enjoying the film for what it is.

Dark Shadows (2012)

[SnakesOnAnAfricanPlain · 3/10 · 2 September 2012]

I saw every Tim Burton film since Mars Attacks! at the cinema. Until this came along. I had had enough of Burton's subpar efforts over the years and Alice In Wonderland was his last chance as far as I was concerned. Finally saw this and I'm glad I waited. This is simply awful. Based on a soap opera, Burton doesn't seem to know what to do. It changes tone dramatically from obvious humour involving Depp's character waking up after 200 years of being buried and being confused by things such as television. To grisly kills where he takes out innocent victims. There are a whole cast of characters, each one is given their own story, but none of them are given enough time to develop. Miller, Carter, Heathcote are all wasted as are their stories. I didn't even get the point of Miller, which is a shame because he was great with what he had. Entire scenes have no place in the film, or are needlessly long and repetitive. The main plot seems to have Eva Green asking Depp to be hers and him rejecting her, over and over and over again. It really does feel like snippets from a soap opera condensed down. This is really just a clip show. By the end it starts pulling things out of its backside. Couldn't care for anybody in this film and think the original property should have just been left alone.

Barnabas Collins is a real vampire

[mombot · 9/10 · 8 May 2012]

Dark Shadows is one of the 5 films I have been eagerly awaiting to see this summer and was very excited when I got a pre-screening pass to see it just a day ago. (I've seen The Avengers, too, so that's already 2 out of the list.) After seeing it last night, I couldn't decide what I thought about certain elements of it until this morning. When a film stays in my head, I know it's made an impression and again, Tim and Johnny have done just that. I can "replay" most of the movie in my head. Everyone is the way you'd expect their character to be and they are all excellent in their roles. They've made a film that will appeal to a wide range of audiences. When Barnabas hypnotizes someone, you believe he's doing it. Johnny is amazing, again! The sex scenes, such as they are, imply rather than show anything, but the expressions on Barnabas' and Angelique's faces tell you a lot. The story is (ahem) fleshed out rather nicely as everything is explained in due time and you're not hit over the head with stupid jokes. There is a good balance of humor and drama and even a bit of sweetness when Barnabas is with Victoria Winters (but not the kind that is sappy). Barnabas does reveal who his to Elizabeth but how this transpires and what it leads to is interesting and not played for laughs. Michelle "gets" Elizabeth and even her false eyelashes are a nod to the original TV show actress' look. The costumes! Colleen Atwood has done it again. 'Nuf said. There are Sleepy Hollow-like elements in the use and look of the blood, the horror elements (like when he kills) and can I mention the fangs? They come out when he's about to dine. They're marvelous! I will probably see this again with some friends as I'd like to see Dark Shadows in IMAX because, heck, IMAX is wonderful. My recommendation: Go see it! 9/10

A quirky story

[Sabalon · 6/10 · 26 May 2012]

Based on all the previews, one would think that this was a remake of Love at First Bite - a fish-out-of-water comedy, with Barnabas coming to terms with 1972. These trailer scenes probably make up 80% of those jokes for the movie. It is not a comedy that the trailers would leave you to believe.

Overall it is a quirky retelling of some of the elements from the original series. I did enjoy it for what it was. You do have to go in with the expectation that this is a Burton/Depp film. Johnny seems to play one character for Burton - pauses in his speech, some weird walking movements, and lots of hand waving. A little more of a darker side would have fit this film perfectly.

While the rest of the cast does a good job (Michelle is great as a matriarch) the biggest problem I had is that characters appear when needed and then go away for long spells. I had almost forgotten that Victoria was a role she was off screen so much. Same with a few of the other supporting characters.

Don't expect anything super serious or super funny.

Keep these two away from each other

[peryteran2 · 4/10 · 9 May 2012]

The film can't decide whether it's a fish-out-of-water comedy or a Gothic thriller/romance. Instead, we get treated to a bipolar movie that is, at times, really funny, but mostly full of unnecessary exposition. I think Burton wanted to honor the TV show by adding in so many details, but frankly, it was boring at times as they moved from one plot point to another. Some of the "wrap up" surprises at the end came off as forced. Though I'm glad they didn't rely on as much CGI to create the set pieces, one major scene involving a concert looked like it was stolen from the Austin Powers films.

Johnny Depp did some great physical comedy as well as Helena Bonham Carter and Jackie Earle Haley, but Dark Shadows should go back to the grave.