Burton's a Genius

Rating: 9/10 (22 December 1999)

"Sleepy Hollow" is Tim Burton's "Sistine Chapel Ceiling." It is a terrific, complex, funny, film that ties in every known movie genre known to man. This movie would have sucked BIG TIME had some other, less visionary director taken the reigns, but Mr. Burton is a truly gifted artist. I've heard many complaints that the movie is too cliched, too cheesy, too hokie, to formulaic. THAT'S THAT POINT! It's Burton poking fun at the "by-the-book" horror movies. To me, some of the funniest parts in the movie were the most cliched because it's ALL tongue-in-cheek. The movie's got the usual cliched chase scene, the usual "villain-tells-plans" scene, the usual cheesy lines ("You've bewitched me."...."Is he dead?" "That's the problem. He was already dead."), but that's what MAKES this movie, the fact that it can completely poke fun at the genre while being a great movie on the side.
Not only is Burton a master at this sort of double-handed perspective, his visuals, the dark and foreboding world he has created, is something which must be seen in order to be believed. He truly is a visionary of film. And the actors/actresses....if I were to start with them, I'd be here typing all day. Let's just say that each one is PERFECT for their given roles, Depp and Ricci, especially. Same goes for the score. In closing: GO SEE IT ON THE BIG SCREEN!