Beautiful, yet cold... even films about dead people still need heart

Rating: 6/10 (19 September 2005)

Tim Burton is an exceptional auteur. Few directors have made such a stylistic mark on the viewing public as he has. He creates wonderful visuals in all of his films, but his talent for directing is another matter. His films, unfortunately, are largely hit or miss. He is mostly able to create deep connections between his off-beat characters and the audience, but this is not the case in the Corpse Bride.
None of the characters are inherently sympathetic, and the film is not nearly long enough to understand their emotions or motives on anything but the most superficial level. (I hate to make the Nightmare Before Christmas comparison, but at 76 minutes, it's actually exactly as long as tNBC. Dir. Henry Selick utilized his short time to a greater emotional level, plus the songs in that film told decisive parts of the story, which they don't in the Corpse Bride.)
The style is quite appealing, but the angles, spirals, and dark alleys of Halloween Town were that much more effective because of the far more intriguing characters that inhabited it.
The music and songs felt mostly forced, and I left the theater not having any of the tunes left lingering in my head.
All-in-all though, the film is fine. The plot is dull, the characters are dull, the music is dull, but it is mostly captivating in the theater, simply due to the visuals. See it for the animation. And hope that Burton takes his time, and next chooses a project that relies less on looking "spooky", and more on simple, quality characterization.