Logic Takes a Holiday

Rating: 7/10 (27 October 2018)

Interesting re-telling of "Frankenstein" and "Beauty and the Beast" but comes up a bit short on logic, even for a fantasy film.
Plot in a nutshell: a creator's human-like invention (Johnny Depp) struggles to adapt to a world he's never known, including falling for the girl (Winona Ryder) he can't have.
There is some undeniable charm to this film. And it is noteworthy for being the first pairing of director Burton and actor Depp. Depp really nailed the character, despite his sparse dialogue (169 words in the entire film). But "Edward Scissorhands" is far from original (see 1935's "Bride of Frankenstein" for a misunderstood 'monster' hated by the townspeople); and while the sets are great (the castle, the pastel houses), this is hardly groundbreaking stuff. Sure it's nice to look at. But lay off the 10-star rating please.
The film is enjoyable overall and I didn't feel like it was a waste of my time. And yet, there are several plot points in the story which really, really do not make any sense. These plot points hurt the film and remove it from any sort of 'masterpiece' ranking. (Roger Ebert only gave it 2 stars out of 4, but I'll be a little more generous.) Spoilers follow!
* Why oh why does Edward have scissors for hands in the first place? We are shown that he was not intended to keep them, as the inventor gave him 'real hands' as a gift but died before they could be attached. But what is the point of giving him scissors for hands at all, even temporarily? It certainly was not necessary. Just leave it at nothing. The scissors were a threat not only to others but also to Edward himself (as we saw all of the self-inflicted scars on his face); there is no reason he should ever have had them. Would you give your creation something that in essence is actually a dangerous weapon? You wouldn't, of course, because it's illogical. But then...you wouldn't have a film I guess. This is a big negative.
*Edward apparently can't hold or handle eating utensils at the Boggs house. How then did he eat anything before he came to town?
*How does Edward go to the bathroom? Does he ever have to go? Yes he's artificial but he needs 'energy' of some sort right? We're meant to think he's human, but then think...he's not human? I don't know. Confusing.
*Who pays the bills for the old mansion to keep it going? Anyone? Or does Edward just somehow exist there without paying real estate taxes, etc.?
*Kim has multiple opportunities to explain away Edward's 'transgressions' to the authorities and neighbors but never does. If she really cared about him, this is inexplicable.
*At the end of the film, with the dangerous boyfriend Jim out of the way, Kim is now free to maintain a friendship or relationship with Edward. But no. Instead she never sees him again, despite the fact that he only lives down the street. Instead she grows old and tells stories to her grand-kids of how she let the love of her life get away....what? He lives RIGHT DOWN THE STREET! Heck, he's still there! Wow that's just dumb. She can explain that it was a misunderstanding. Or, if the people won't listen, then she can forsake the world and go live with him. But she does neither. Really? That's just poor story-telling.
6.5/10. "Edward Scissorhands" has its merits but also has its flaws. 7 stars (rounded up) is probably a little generous but the film is decent enough, if you are willing to suspend logic for two hours. Would I watch again? (Y/N): Definitely maybe.