Pretty but lumbering...

Rating: Null/10 (16 October 2002)

A quite lovely-looking gothic fairytale/detective story(more the latter) that suffers from unimaginative and conventional storytelling. Depp, Ricci et al. inhabit their roles well, but are merely adrift in a movie that lacks focus and tight direction. Had Burton made this a more magical and mystical fairytale, he might have been able to sweep us along on a journey through the darkly amusing world he has created. Instead, too much is made of the rather tiresome murder-mystery(complete with predictable-twist-ending).
The horseman looks impressive, but the mystery surrounding such a charachter gets thrown out the window as soon as he dismounts from his horse and starts lumbering around Terminator-style, hacking people to bits using Darth Maul-esque swordplay.
Danny ElfmanÂ´s music is appropriately gothic, I suppose...even though I often find him overdramatic rather than lyrical.