Film Review: Dark Shadows

Dark Shadows   6/10
Director: Tim Burton
Starring: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green
Plot: a vampire called Barnabas Collins returns and visits his dysfunctional family.

Tim Burton has seen gigantic box office success recently with Alice in Wonderland, which grossed over $1 billion; whilst receiving lacklustre reviews. Dark Shadows, similarly to Alice, is a blockbuster with impressive visuals. However, Dark Shadows isn’t as safe as Alice, and proves to be a strange mix.

The genre of the film seems to consistently change; it’s horror one minute, then comedy, then action the next. Usually Burton pulls off a mix such as this, however in this film it comes across as chaotic at times. In all, the plot doesn’t go very far at all. In addition to this, the abundance of characters feels cluttered, with only a few in strong focus. I think that if the film had focussed on Barnabas’ journey more, and perhaps more family back story, it could’ve been a little more consistent.

Whilst the plot is a little sketchy, the characters and acting is fantastic; Johnny Depp doesn’t surprise yet doesn’t falter. Michelle Pfeiffer plays Elizabeth Collins perfectly, wielding a shotgun to cinematic perfection. Eva Green as Angelique is not only stunning but beautifully evil. A particularly raunchy scene between Green and Depp is executed well and very funny. Helena Bonham Carter plays a mad person, a role familiar to her and one she does well with her usual skill.

In Conclusion: Dark Shadows is a bizarre film which feels a little too long; yet it is redeemed by its fantasy action, intelligent laughs and interesting characters.

Film Review: Jack Reacher

Jack Reacher   7/10
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins

Plot: a man shoots five people at random; an investigator delves into the case further.

Christopher McQuarrie became a hit screenwriter with the likes of The Usual Supects, however critical falures such as The Tourist within recent years have been disappointed. However, McQuarrie has turned it around with Jack Reacher, a surprisingly entertaining action thriller.
 
Tom Cruise, despite failing to draw in audiences for Rock of Ages returns to what he does best, total annihilation. The action sequences are slick, fast-paced and terribly cool, something lacking from recent action flicks. A particular car chase makes use of ambitious angles and techniques, which are pulled off terrifically in the film (a zoom-in to Tom Cruise’s face while driving is just one of them). The film's trailer does, however, seem to market it as a full-on action film, yet the plot is surprisingly complex, with the different layers unfolding as the minutes tick by.

Rosamund Pike is also very good here; whilst her recent roles have been a little dry, Pike returns to the likes of Pride and Prejudice and Surrogates within her acting abilities. Her role is edgy and serious, something the film needed to keep grounded.

The plot, whilst being disturbing at times, doesn’t seem to take itself very seriously as it progresses. The film does, however, seem to change its angle and within the final thirty minutes, the plot drifts off and you soon forget who is chasing who. Yet in these moments, it’s the ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ moments which keep you hoping for more.

In Conclusion: Reacher plummets full-throttle from the start, proving that giant robots and superheroes aren’t the crucial ingredient to a great action film. There’s nothing Oscar-worthy here, and it’s all the better for it - a sequel is likely and deserved.