One of Burton's Finest Works

Rating: 9/10 (27 November 1999)

The more I see it, the more I like it.
"Sleepy Hollow" is one of the most visually beautiful (and bloodiest for Burton) films that I have seen this year. It's dark, moody look almost seems like a black and white film that only has a few splashes (which in some ways, "splashes" is very accurate) of color throughout. Danny Elfman has provided yet another wonderful score, and sets the tone of the film perfectly.
Without a doubt, Johnny Depp's performance makes the movie. He's arrogant, eccentric, intelligent... and a bit cowardly and squeamish. He's not the typical "hero" that you find in so many films (although he does fall into the definition a few times), and his performance is both comical and memorable. Great uses of humor through the film to counteract the scary scenes.
A great cast rounds out this film with plenty of cameos from Burton's past films to his own personal favorites. Initially, I wasn't sure what to think of Casper Van Dien, because every time I see him, all I think of is "Starship Troopers". Regardless, he pulled off the character of Brom well.
I liked the mystery of this. A lot of reviews have criticized the story as being weak, but the mystery was large, and all of the loose ends were resolved. It's actually pretty impressive despite the complex plot twists thrown about.
Tim Burton's movies always have that ring of nostalgia or high camp. The references to the Disney short were undeniable, as was the seeming "bat wings" behind Christopher Lee. Burton is so underappreciated as a director.
This is an excellent "Burton fan" film, or for anyone who likes a good horror story. For Burton, it ranks up with my personal favorites such as "Nightmare Before Christmas" or "Edward Scissorhands".