flawed Tim Burton, but even flawed the guy is still a genius

Rating: 6/10 (5 September 2005)

SPOILERS Directors always leave their mark on a film. A distinctive style, you can often tell who has made it without even needing to read the credits. One of the most distinctive of these is Tim Burton. Aside from the obvious fact that he often casts Johnny Depp in his films, Burton's films are creepy, dark, disturbing encounters which stand out as a sort of comedy Gothic. Buildings which are black and twisted, characters who contain a dark side irrelevant of their goodness, all point towards the beauty of Burton's work. One of his earlier works, "Edward Scissorhands" follows the pattern to a degree. A great satire of the American suburb and the 'perfect' way of life, the film is distinctively lacking in several parts, but that doesn't stop it from pulling you in.
Peg (Dianne Wiest) works for Avon and is hardly the most successful of sellers. Phoning amongst her circle of friends, holding community barbeque's and having the tea on the table when her working husband returns, she and everyone around her are the epitome of the American perfect world. When Peg attempts to sell her goods at an apparently ruined old house, she encounters the completely unique Edward (Johnny Depp). Built by a scientist (Vincent Price in his final on screen film role), Edward never receives human hands and instead possesses blades instead. Feeling she is doing a good deed, Peg takes Edward home and for a while everyone falls in love with this unique character. This is Tim Burton though, life is never that simple.
What final opinion you have of "Edward Scissorhands" depends entirely on your perspective. If you watch with a desire to see decent acting, you're going to be disappointed. Depp, whilst far from awful, is lacking in the genius which he develops in future years. Wiest too is far too average, whilst Winona Ryder plays Winona Ryder. Nobody shines, and so anyone who thrives on superior acting will be disappointed.
Similar, if you view the film for even the remotest realism, you are both daft (this IS Burton after all) and in for a period of crucial issues. Whether Edward's diet (finding it difficult to eat with the family, where does he actually get food and how does he eat it?) or the way he magically manages to create ice blocks out of thin air, there are key continuity errors in this little tale.
Burton's style is also notably different in "Edward Scissorhands" compared with later works. Whilst the mansion is twisted and Burton like in feel, so much else of the landscape is all pristine and bright. This in itself is a masterstroke because he creates a world to match the characters imposed attitudes and the whole notion of this world is to ridicule a way of life which really is beyond saving. These characters ARE dark and more in tune with Burton's feel though. Whatever their lifestyle and false morals, they are people with a hidden evil inside themselves and who flick from one mood to another at the flick of a switch. Anyone 'normal' is designed to be disliked and the eventual change in Ryder's feelings feel forced and illogical. She is the only one Burton really attempts to redeem (Wiest is permanently nice and arguably more naive than Edward himself) and this might not have been the best move in the scheme of things.
So ultimately, there is little denial that with "Edward Scissorhands" there are considerable flaws which lower the quality of the film. So why should anyone watch this film? Well, for all it's faults, it is still a Tim Burton film and you do still get a feeling of his style. At the same time, his unique portrayal of America is clever, occasionally subtle, and well constructed. There are also moments of entertainment which are unique and often funny. Edward's introduction to alcohol for example. Or the incredibly stupid idea of putting a man with blades for hands onto a water-bed. For small treats like this, the mistakes are worth tolerating.
Tim Burton has done, and will do, better films than this. Released years before superior films like "Nightmare before Christmas", "Big Fish" and "Sleepy Hollow", this is a flawed affair which will agitate and probably disappoint. At the same time though, it does have it's moments, and there are definite glimpses of Burton talent (most notably in the satire of suburbia). A nice introduction to Burton, but you can find better films to watch.