A visually beautiful, surprisingly funny, retro romp.

Rating: 9/10 (24 April 2013)

I fully expected to sleep through this movie. I was not a fan of the original Dark Shadows TV series, nor am I a big fan of Burton, but this movie was a very pleasant surprise. Perhaps too much of the amusing aspects of the plot were given away in the trailer, but speaking for myself, I felt there was still plenty to keep me amused. Was it on par with Citizen Kane? Please. But thank goodness, it doesn't have to be to be an enjoyable movie.
Is Johnny Depp's performance over-the-top? Yes, that's what makes this so funny. Did this story not deviate from the original plot in a significant way? Sure, that's what makes this so funny. Did this film not wallow in the cheesier aspects of 1970's culture? Yep, that's what makes this so funny.
The only issue I took was with the usual cheesy visual effects that Burton loves (think claymation), which to his credit, he kept to a real minimum in this film.
Visually, the Burton 'chiaroscuro' worked brilliantly, and the music by Danny Elfman, was perfect, but surprisingly different from his previous compositions which all bear a trademark style missing in this score. Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer & Helena Bonham-Carter gave excellent performances & the supporting cast worked really well. The performance by Alice Cooper was a delight, too. Eva Green's performance was the weakest part of this film for me. For a character that was supposed to be driven by love & revenge, she seemed a bit flat, one- dimensional & uncommitted. Perhaps the character was written poorly, but the performance didn't save the character. Jonny Lee Miller didn't sparkle in his role, but as he is a truly brilliant actor, I suspect the lack of sparkle stemmed from the script & possibly the editing.
The movie is light, tongue-in-cheek, witty & fast-paced. The violence & language were not objectionable for younger viewers, and the retro appeal was really well done. It's a fun, enjoyable family movie.