Dark Shadows not dark enough

My husband and I have recently signed up to Cineworld's unlimited passes in an attempt to save a little money, and so of course we want to try and take full advantage of them, but it was slim pickings this weekend I have to say. Now I'll be the first to admit I've not exactly hidden my admiration of Tim Burton in the past, and, for me, there's just one word to describe Johnny Depp - "Grrrr" - which made my choice simple. This said, however, I left feeling let down and I can find very little to praise in their latest collaboration "Dark Shadows".


The decision to set the film in the 1970s still isn't clear to me, and while it's not necessarily a bad one, and yes the soundtrack is entertaining, it was somewhat akin to watching a play while at a disco.


To list the film as a comedy was a mistake. I doubt any Burton fan would go expecting light-slapstick humour, but his trade-mark brand of dark humour was a little on the light-side and the more obvious comic moments fell a little flat.


It pains me to say it, but even Depp wasn't doing it for me. His performance seemed a little lacklustre and it made me wonder if he really wanted to do the film...


For me the only real highlight was at the climax of the story where I caught a glimpse of my old friend's style with some truly Beetlejuice-esque cinematography. 


My only advice is lower your expectations before viewing!

UK rating: 12a

Year of release: 2012

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy

Director: Tim Burton

Starring: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfieffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Johnny Lee Miller

Rating: 1.5 / 5