Solid but slightly wasted effort from Burton & Depp

Rating: 6/10 (31 January 2014)

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp team up once again, and the results produce something of a mixed bag. The partnership between the two started off well, but lost steam thanks to poor efforts like 'Charlie and The Chocolate Factory' and 'Alice in Wonderland' remakes. Dark Shadows falls into the middle for both. The film, an adaption of the Gothic soap opera, does have a lot of good things whilst also failing in much of what it attempts. There was a lot of potential for a really great movie, and that might be what makes the film come off as somewhat disappointing.
The film focuses on Barnabas Collins, a 200-year-old vampire whose family once ran the local fishing port. He rises after being imprisoned for two centuries to find his modern relatives and business in a state of disarray. Collins also discovers that the witch who cursed and imprisoned him has taken over the towns fishing business. He quickly sets about to improve the family, get used to his new surroundings and lift the curse upon him. The plot does have an interesting set-up and some smart ideas. The major issue with the story, and most of the film, is that it strongly lacks focus. It is like Burton doesn't know what area to concentrate on and that makes it come across as messy. Not enough time is spent on the family, the love interest, the business or Barnabas himself for you to truly care.
The point that film lacks focus is what lets it down. It would have made much more sense to, for example, focus on Barnabas' interactions with family than just jump for one piece to another. This made the whole love aspect with Victoria seem slightly forced and meant that the relationship with Angelique was not as fleshed out as it could have been. The same issue applies in genre choices. Dark Shadows is unable to decide whether it is a comedy, horror or straight-up drama. It has successful elements of all three genres, but these elements could have been used much better if it picked one and went with it. The constant genre hopping once again harms the films instead of improving it.
Despite many blasting Johnny Depp's performance as the vampire lead, I don't think he does a bad job. He looks great under the heavy make-up and he brings some quirky mannerisms to the role that fit in rather well. His delivery of certain lines and expressions are just naturally funny. The character is not that well written, so Depp deserves some applause for being so entertaining. The rest of the cast sadly feel somewhat wasted. Michelle Pfeiffer was enjoyable as she usually is as the head of the family, but she isn't given enough material to work with. Jackie Earle Haley is very funny as the surly Collins caretaker and easily gets some of the funniest pieces of the movie. Eva Green does a good job as the greedy witch, but she needed to be fleshed out more. Bella Heathcote is decent as the wide- eyed Victoria, but again the role needed some more focus to really work. I didn't enjoy Chloe Grace Moretz as Carolyn, she makes the angst teen act comes off as very annoying and doesn't feel natural. Jonny Lee Miller and Helena Bonham Carter are solid yet easy to forget thanks to their bland characters.
The film does have some things going for it. I found Barnabas' struggle to adapt to the 1970's very amusing. Arguably the funniest parts of the movie are him trying to fit in with this new society and how his old- fashioned puts people off as well as intrigues them. Angelique's sexual pursuit of Barnabas leads to a few funny exchanges between the two. Even Barnabas' awkward attempts to gain Victoria's love were humorous. As said, if the film put more effort into the comedy then it could have been very funny. The comedy is there but it is in Burton's typical slightly campy and slightly dark style, which if you like then you'll enjoy here.
Visually it is stunning, Tim Burton creates another film that is vividly rich to view thanks to the modern and Gothic elements that are used. The cinematography manages to capture the serene but dark beauty of the area perfectly and the look of the 1970s is nicely realised. The Collins mansion also looks wonderful, the Gothic architecture and gloomy secret passages bring the place to life. The costumes are fantastic too, especially Barnabas' look which conveys the Gothic style of the film just right.
The music was a mixed bag. Danny Elfman's subdued score was effective in certain areas, but also a little lifeless in others. I don't think that Elfman's more quirky styling's fit the film that well. I actually found that some of the music used fit in quite well, song like 'Top of the World' and 'Nights in White Satin' managed to sound authentic thanks to the setting. Even a cameo by Alice Cooper was used effectively and produced some nostalgic fun.
I don't think Dark Shadows is a bad film by any stretch of the imagination, certainly not as bad as people have made it out to be. It is entertaining and is the type of film that is easy to watch at any time. Visually it is wonderful and Johnny Depp is effortlessly engaging. However, it is its limitations that hold it back, the unfocused plot line, shallow characters and the constant genre hopping do nothing but harm the films true intentions. I think this is more of a case of wasted potential than a truly poor effort. With Burton at the helm of what seems like his ideal type of film you cannot help be feel a bit let-down. The shadows are here but they do not hide anything we haven't seen before.