Amusing, but totally rushed - perhaps wait for a directors cut DVD?

Rating: 6/10 (10 September 2005)

The CG was brilliant.. Johnny Depp was at his quirky and amusing best.. The screenplay? Ugggh...
One felt that the "demise" of each child was treated a little bit too much as "Ok.. that's another one down, onto the next one".
The segues between the various demises were poorly thought through and their only redeeming qualities were the various spoofs/homages to other movies (Space Odyssey 2001 reference had me laughing quite a bit... *cue music*), a bit of drug humour ("Do you often have flashbacks?") and various other black humour references (Reference to cannibalism *chuckle*).
I'm wondering why it was so rushed - you would think this second movie would have more than the first, not less. I paid $9 to see it as opposed to the usual $14 here in Australia - and had a good time - I just don't think the movie lived up to its hype.
It could have been so much better!