Dark Shadows (2012)

I have been a Tim Burton fan since before I could realize that it was Tim Burton movies that I was watching. Needless to say, I was pretty excited about this movie the moment the trailer came out.

I was disappointed. Dark Shadows is one of those movies that gives itself away in the trailer.

The film starts out with Barnabus Collins’ back story, which to me seemed more as a way to account for Johnny Depp having a British accent throughout the movie. It got a little predictable from there on out.

Collins wakes up in the 70s after a group of construction men accidentally dig him out and he goes home to find the remaining Collins group who hold the initial family motto that family is everything.

The movie had its moments, but most of the film was relying on the out of place Barnabus who was overly confused as to how much had changed in the 200 years he was trapped. The film was also a bit more risqué than Burton’s usually sexless films. Johnny Depp’s character cannot resist the women that come onto him in this film and he is very up front with how weak he is to their sexual charms.

Towards the end of the film is where it lost me. Things that had not been referenced or foreshadowed the whole film started happening and were voiced quickly by the characters to explain that they had been there all along (but not really). Frankly, it got a little boring.

If the film makes any money it is because of Burton’s devout fans and the people who were planning to watch The Avengers and it was sold out when they got there (which is how I ended up watching it). Wait for it at the dollar movies.