Style over substance

Rating: 5/10 (25 November 2011)

I was seduced by the reviews on IMDb into watching this movie. It's got some big names, it's got terrific production values (think Dickens crossed with steampunk), an interesting concept, but ultimately badly let down by the execution, which generates no real emotion, not even sentimental nostalgia. Part of it is disbelief: the two main child actors talk and act like adults, are dressed and shot like adults, their reactions and motivations are those of adults. Then there's the complete lack of chemistry between any two members of the cast.
You're rewarded for your patience (it's a two and a half hour film) with some great visuals, humorous scenes especially from the supporting cast, a bit of early film history (the famous train scene is shown, as well as a bit of Méliès' work) though too disjointed to really enjoy, and a generally pleasant film, but precious little else.