A Very Poetic and Visual Masterpiece of Film-making

Rating: 9/10 (12 July 2007)

I have to admit, again, I was 30-years-old when this came out it scared the life out of me. I know Tim Burton's work but this was darker, scarier and bloodier. Such a awesome and interesting twist on the classic Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow tale. The story is pretty much the same: Ichabod Crane travels to Sleepy Hollow to investigate supernatural beheading that lead to the headless horseman. But there is a surprise twist.
What makes this movie work is Depp's convincing perception of the meek and geeky Ichabod Crane. His character is scared, funny and extremely intelligent. It was such a perfect role for Depp. The other characters, Jeffrey Jones, Christina Ricci, Michael Gambon, Casper Van Dien and Ian McDiarmid are all fantastic in this movie, a real work of art. But the applause should go to Christopher Walken for playing the headless Hessian. The acting was outstanding.
Aside from that, the scenery and the set design was mind blowing. It brought the Gothic vision of the story into a new level of horror. The fog, the Tim Burton-like scarecrows, the offbeat windmill, the Tree of the Dead, the bridge and the houses of Sleepy Hollow were spectacular to see. It was very reminiscent of Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas.
The scare factor was there and it was both the bloody scare as well as the "jump-out scare." Some of the elements of these factors were scary themselves. I can't tell you much about the scary points because that would reveal too much plot detail, but I can tell you that it is scary. Take my word.
The only downside to it was a too predictable relationship. Aside from that it was an outstanding movie. A true piece of poetic film-making.