Johnny Depp has again teamed with Tim Burton in a dark but
comedic role that will make any fan proud. The first part of the movie sets up
the background: Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean series, Alice in Wonderland)
plays Barnabas Collins, a wealthy 18th Century fishing industrialist
that gets turned into a vampire by a love-sick, jealous witch, Angelique (the
wicked Eva Green). This eventually gets him cast as a monster, being buried in
a lead coffin in the woods.
Cut to 200 years later and Depp is uncovered by a McDonald’s
construction crew (I usually despise plugs but this one tickled me). Collins is
reunited with what is left of his lineage including Elizabeth (the enchanting
Michelle Pfeiffer) and Carolyn (the incomparable Chloe Grace Moretz). I keep
growing founder of Moretz ever since “(500) Days of Summer,” and this film is
no exception. She executes the role of an angst-ridden teenager flawlessly, a
role she has never tackled until now.
Collins runs into Angelique (aka Angela) and his long-lost
love. Jealously between Angela and Collins and his love picks up where it left
off two centuries ago. This leads to a climactic fight between good and evil.
The script has many humorous elements pulling from the
bloopers in the original television show. Depp is marvelous in these witty
moments. Jackie Earle Haley (Little Children, A Nightmare on Elm), is hilarious
playing Collins’ slow-witted, right-hand man Willie.
Viewers need to realize that the acting in this film is
extremely over-dramatic for a reason. If you have ever seen the original, it
was basically a soap opera. If you enjoy two hours of solid laughs, this movie
is for you.
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