Clearly, Dark Shadows will not make any box office records. Iron Man does not make an appearance, so it’s hopeless. However, what Dark Shadows does do is add another solid entry in the impressive Burton/Depp collaborative series. The movie strikes a vibe that is much more serious than the tongue-in-cheek trailer would have you believe. Depp’s turn as Barnibus Collins may feel familiar to Depp fans. He has the appearance of Edward Scissorhands, the mannerisms of Captain Jack Sparrow, and the vocal pattern of Hunter S. Thompson. This is a fun combination, but the story surrounding Collins is one of betrayal and vengeance. Not that the movie doesn’t have its humorous moments, it does. But it should be mentioned that the film firmly belongs in the company of Burron’s films like Sleepy Hollow instead of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In addition, there’s an excellent soundtrack of classic rock, which is rare for Burton who usually relies on Danny Elfman only. The supporting characters do feel a bit under developed and, at times, seemingly unnecessary, and the film does begin to wander as the final 30 minutes roll around, but that does not spoil it as a classic Tim Burton movie in the least. B
The Peoples Critic 