Tim Burton Back on Form

Rating: 8/10 (11 January 2000)

After the pretty variable Mars Attack, Tim Burton returns to what we know he does best, dark Gothic movies. The cast of Sleepy Hollow includes some actors that have worked with Burton in Johnny Depp, Michael Gough and Jeffrey Jones. Most of the rest of the cast is British. The story is that a number of murders have been taking place in the isolated New York village of Sleepy Hollow. The village think that is the infamous Headless horseman, who was beheaded near to the village, and who was risen from the grave. Constable Icabod Crane is sent to investigate the murder. He initial thinks that it is the work of one of the local offical. But after discovering the horseman at work on night, he finds the evil deeds are at work within the village.
It good to see a film that doesn't take itself too seriously. There is lots of black humour, especially from Depp who play Crane as a sort of Early Sherlock Holmes. The sets are beautifully gothic, and darkly and help to draw you into the film. George Lucas take note! The horseman himself is a pretty mean with a sword, as could be expected as he is played by the stuntman who played Darth Maul. The English cast is very good especially Ian McDiarmid, Miranda Richardson and Michael Gambon.
To conclude the best film I have seen since the Sixth sense, and miles better than End of Days.