Dark Shadows Review:

Based on a TV show that ran for 1,225 episodes of the same name, Dark Shadow follows the story of ‘Barnabas Collins’ (Johnny Depp) a man who is cursed by a witch for breaking her heart and is transformed into a Vampire. Shortly after he is buried alive after the towns people of ‘Collinsport’ turn on him. Only to be re-awakened nearly 200 years later to the new and hilariously unfamiliar 1970’s where he returns to his former estate ‘Collinwood Manor’ to find his future relatives who now reside. 

You can tell instantly from the first five minuets that this is a Tim Burton film. Just but the way the world of the film looks, slightly desaturated colours enhanced with atmospheric ‘Tim Burton esque’ musical score. Even the costumes have a touch of Burtons gothic class but contrasting with brighter saturated hair, eye colour and makeup especially with Helena Bonham-Carter’s character ‘Dr. Julia Hoffman’, Dark Shadows definitely has a sense of artistic style like with all of Tim burtons films.

One scene features a large explosion but as the audience you would expect it to look like fire with reds, yellows and oranges mixed in together but it was strangely a neon pink colour which unusually works within the world of this film, because it goes with the psychedelic colour scheme of the 70’s time period. 

I think the acting is overall solid, because you know that the dream team of Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham-Carter you know its going to be a good film even though many reviewers are saying that they are getting bored of the Depp and Burton partnership and that all of Depp’s roles are sort of blending into one, but I don’t think its as extreme as that because I think he plays a convincing character and I doubt his legions of fans are going to get bored of him that easily. 

So overall I think Dark Shadows is a funny, entertaining and slightly wacky (in a good way) movie but if you are not a fan of Burtons style of film making this film is possibly not for you, however if you are a fan you are definitely in for a treat!

3.5/5