A bit too much Eva, and not enough Helena and Chloe, but well done

Rating: 8/10 (12 May 2012)

I give this movie an 8, but if I could rate more discreetly I'd give it a 7.8...just under that. When I viewed the trailers, and I must have viewed nearly all of them and saw the TV adverts I was afraid that Burton and Depp had jumped the shark with too much comedy. They didn't, although there are a few scenes that go over the top. In general the tone is respectful to the original soap while managing to poke a bit of fun at itself.
They've taken some license with the original plot, but not in a way that detracts I think. Certainly, the movie successfully explores and exploits the sudden jump from 18th century to the 20th in a way that the original never thought to.
It moves a bit slowly at times, and there are some actors that are underused. Chloe Moritz and Helena Bohnam Carter could have been used more effectively even without expanding their parts, but by simply making them more integral to the plot.
I don't think I'm spoiling anything by mentioning the well advertised cameos of the original stars, but I will say that their appearance was much too brief...fleeting even.
On balance, if the movie performs well and they decide to make a sequel, I'm on board.