Damaged world

Rating: Null/10 (28 October 2008)

I've been spending some time with Burton. I like him, i feel strangely attracted to what he purposes, though i can't help recognizing the highly recognizable flaws.
In summary: he creates worlds, sometimes he is thrilling on that alone, others not so much. But everyone of his films is a true vision of its creator, and that's something i value a lot. But he is not a good director. Planely as a director, he can't be more than just competent, because he doesn't work on the specific issues of direction (editing, camera-work, actor-direction...) with the same passion and special angle as he does with molding the world he gives us.
So look at this. He was still a relatively young director (this was, i believe, his second long form). He didn't craft the world of this film as exquisitely as he did with later works. And the film is a relative failure to me because, once that rich notion of being side a quirky mind is gone, the rest doesn't hold.
Oh, one thing that saves it: Michael Keaton's performance. I've never seen him act like he did here. He holds this as his best performance ever and i support it. It's a great physical and verbal acting, that engages the audience as well as the characters of the film, so the plot develops around the idea of one trying (and failing) to resist paying attention to him. Great.
The animations are tender in some points, it has the flavor of old animations, that look artificial, but which we are willing to believe. I recently watched a crap film, Monster X, made by someone who should take some lessons here about honesty on film making.
My opinion: 3/5
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