Sleepy Hollow isn't a sleepy ride!

Rating: 8/10 (12 May 2006)

Sleepy Hollow is director Tim Burton's take on the classic story of the "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" (aka the Headless Horseman).
As you would expect from a Burton film - it is Gothic, darkish with a splash of camp (no thanks to Johnny Depp's performance!).
The story centres around a New York detective who is sent to investigate the beheadings of three people in the village of Sleepy Hollow. He soon uncovers a murderous, headless ghost which his scientific background can't explain.
Sleepy Hollow is an exciting film - the headless horseman sequences are completely electrifying. They are instantly recognisable (I probably had nightmares as a kid remembering that headless horseman crossing the bridge) and totally engaging - as the ghost proves himself as an unstoppable force on the townspeople.
That said - where the film sort of falls down is it's "head rolling" plotting. It is sometimes confusing to try and make sense at all the plot twists and developments - although things are reconciled by the last 20 minutes (it all makes sense).
Overall - Sleepy Hollow isn't a sleepy ride - brimful of headless delights...