Beautifully unique movie portraying contemporary issues

Rating: Null/10 (21 February 2001)

I love this movie through and through for many reasons. Like most of the people who have commented on this film, I also think it was casted perfectly and it was pretty cool. It's characteristic of most Tim Burton films. Once again, he places the picture with contrasts between dark and light. But it's always a contradiction. In this film, the townspeople wear bright, loving colors yet turn out to be black and shrivelled at heart. On the other hand, Edward comes off as a scary, unknown stranger at the beginning and really is a person with the biggest heart of them all. Everybody loves the new person at the beginning but that love turns to hatred at the lack of understanding the people have for Edward's condition. Behind the action and thrills of the ending, Burton tried to get across a lot of issues that plague our world today. One is prejudice. People at first are intrigued by the mysterious man with scissors as hands. But as time goes by and Edward makes a few slips of judgement, the townspeople start to become scared of Edward and even start to despise him and the people who took him in. It's also a wonderful love story between Ryder's character and Edward. She's the exact opposite of the townspeople in that she dislikes Edward at the beginning but begins to understand his problems and even falls in love with him. This may be a metaphor to interracial relationships in America. It's a rather sad story with moral ethics laced throughout it. All and all I think every American should see this movie. It's entertaining and meaningful. ********** stars