less than epic

Rating: Null/10 (21 November 1999)

I went into this knowing it was a Tim Burton film. I expected to be taken away to late 18th century America; I did not expect a great story. Even with this limited expectation, I was disappointed. No one can paint a somber caricature like Tim Burton, but it wasn't enough this time; somehow you just never really bought it. Danny Elfman bears some of the blame; the mediocre musical score somewhat undermined the desolate visuals. A better selection of music would have really helped. Whatever the case, the majority of the movie felt like it was just being shot and delivered, not given the immaculate attention to detail we expect from Burton. Some genres benefit from a more minimalist approach to cinematography; period pieces generally do not. For a movie whose calling card was to be a fantastic dioramic setting, it falls short. Forgettable screen play, hit-or-miss effects (those CGI-enhanced scenes are obviously CGI-enhanced, if you know what I mean), somewhat stilted cinematography (from Tim Burton!); it could have been a wonderful movie. Instead, it's forgettable.