I expect Dark Shadows to be a funny loosely based comedy and what i got was a movie that lacks everything creative. very dull which isn't characteristic of tim burton. Visually okay, acting below par.

I liked it much more than I anticipated I would. I was hoping and praying it wouldn't remotely resemble a Pirates film - it doesn't. The acting is excellent - particularly Helena Bonham Carter (as the family psychiatrist) and Bella Heathcoate (as Victoria Winters). The parts are not overplayed like they often are in Burton films. Your head isn't spinning by the third act. But what stands out for me is the music - perfectly captures the time period. I was particularly pleased to hear Donovan's "Season of the Witch" and Alice Cooper's "No More Mr. Nice Guy." The movie does the early 70's perfectly.. Sure, it gets a touch slow, and perhaps runs a bit long, but it's a good movie.… Expand

This may be the best example of a trailer that crammed the movie's ONLY decent 2 minutes into a promising preview. The other 111 minutes are deadly dull. In this vague nod to the TV series, Johnny Depp stars as Barnabas Collins, who returns to his home in the 70s after being buried for 200 years. The potential for fish-out-of-water humor is wrung out in a handful of gags (all in the trailer) and the rest of the proceedings are incredibly tedious and listless. The only thing worth watching is the art direction. Otherwise, this is undoubtedly Tim Burton's worst film ever.… Expand

This movie turned out quite differently than I thought it would. The story seemed rather odd, and moved strangely, but in the end I was still won over by Tim Burton's vision. It was a very nice movie to look at, and the ending totally made up for the mishaps. I enjoyed the characters too.

With Dark Shadows, Tim Burton reminds us just how good his films can be. It's not on par with Beetlejuice or Corpse Bride, but it's an extremely fun ride and almost makes up for the disappointment of Alice in Wonderland. It's visually sumptuous, with Burton's trademark gothic flair and some pleasing 70s period details, and has a solid atmospheric soundtrack from Danny Elfman, bolstered by an eclectic collection of cheesy rock, pop, soul and disco tunes. It's well-acted across the board, particularly by johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Jackie Earle Haley and Chloe Grace Moretz, and a gag-laden script by Seth Grahame-Smith and an abundance of camp energy helps to make the film thoroughly enjoyable. The best scenes are in the film's first half, with vampiric aristocrat Barnabas (Depp) adjusting to the 20th century and to his highly dysfunctional family after being forcibly entombed for 200 years. The film does, however have a big problem with maintaining a consistent tone. It's dark, but would probably benefit from being either even darker, and though the horror elements have been toned down because of its low age rating, I would suggest that it's a bit too raunchy to be suitable for some of its intended audience. This raunchiness does result in a very funny supernaturally-powered sex scene between Barnabas and manipulative witch Angelique (Eva Green), but the majority of the implied sexual goings on may result in some awkward questions posed to parents by their children after seeing the film. Also, the special-effects dependent, relatively big-budget finale of the film was presumably meant to be exciting, but comes across as stupid, overblown and belonging to an entirely different film. At other points, there are scenes that appear a bit disjointed and unconnected to those that came before, and Eva Green is guilty of some wooden delivery of her lines, and an accent that alarmingly frequently changes continents. I'm not sure if Dark Shadows says much about anything below its immaculate surface, but the film remains a memorable, funny and light-hearted romp which Burton fans will love, and it proves that there is still afterlife to the relationship between the goths' director and his favourite actor.… Expand

Dark shadows: Fun for the elderly, good for those between 30 and 40 years, but not very good for those under 18. Not that I did not like but when I left the cinema did not like anyone but me. In my opinion it is entertaining but little more ... The problem with this movie is that it has not used the original it was.

I don't know what happen with Burton, I remember Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Ed Wood, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, excellent movies, but now he do blockbusters for kids, or really terrible movies, Dark Shadows is a great example. The trailers are really funny, but when you watch the movie, you can watch the bad development, the terrible performances (really? Deep again?) and all the problems that Dark Shadows have. Funny in some moments, but the biggest part of the movie is terrible.… Expand

Dark Shadows sees Tim Burton retracing some of his Beetlejuice steps. It's actually pretty funny with laugh out loud moments sprinkled throughout. The movie isn't perfect, however. The tone is a bit uneven; Dark Shadows never seems confident in what it wants to be. The action scenes are underwhelming, too. All in all, though, Dark Shadows is another entertaining effort from Burton & Depp.

Another movie that Tim Burton chose to go with his style over the substance of a good movie. I understand that these talented actors had to act a certain way for this movie, but the acting made this movie even more boring.

The visual are top notch but Tim Burton never finds a consistent rhythm, mixing campy jokes and gothic spookiness. Dark Shadows suffering imbalance and ridiculous script and all A-list star here couldn't help much. Despite its intriguing trailer, Dark Shadows turn to be dead and boring entertainment.

Haven't watched the TV show, but I think films should be all about their own merit and what they bring to the table, and from the research into the TV show of the same name, it was a classic. This film on the other hand, certainly isn't.
Dark Shadows begins with a bang, Burton takes cues from his work on his own version of Willy Wonka by showing us a small montage of where it all began, we see how Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) is madly in love with Josette (Bella Heathcote), but his recent affair with Angelique (Eva Green) reveals a truth that he may just have never wanted to find, her witchcraft skills manage to see off Barnabas's parents, and when further tragedy strikes, the evil Angelique curses our lovestruck hero, making him a vampire and subsequently burying him.
We fast forward 200 years when the vampire Barnabas is accidentally set free, much to to the dismay of Angelique who has continued to live on throughout the centuries. Unfortunately when Barnabas arrives at his former manor of Collinwood, this is where the true confusion of this flawed film sets in. Its never clear what story is being told, there are small and silly moments of comedy, there is also romance, but throw in some drama, or attempt at a dramatic piece anyway, and you do have quite a layered mess of two hours.
We are introduced to quite the ensemble of a cast, characters that are miraculously left out for the true plot of the film.
Michelle Pfeiffer delivers a convincing turn as the head of the Collins house, but for most of the film she seems to be wandering around with nothing to do. Chloe Moretz plays her daughter, the rebel and typically moody teen who again, is introduced in what could be a major plot development, but is left as an after-thought. There is just the constant feel that the film isn't going anywhere, and feels too clustered for squeezing so many characters but not giving them a story behind them.
Johnny Depp can always be relied on to give a fine performance, but for someone who is consistently a fan of the Burton/Depp collaboration, it does seem to unfortunately be waining.
There are fine sets and typically gothic Burton touches to costumes and make-up which certainly give it his stamp, but the overall pace and writing of the film feels very out of touch and was truly disappointing after the opening 15 minutes.
No amount of 70s jokes or even Barnabas's reaction to his new world could save this film from being a dull and under-developed experience.… Expand

Being a huge Gothic Fan myself after seeing the film the first thing i wanna say is " Tim's adaption of the cult classic is very well acted , Directed , Effected and was humiliated by the horrible script "
The movie didn't had the much Gothic Tone and the was people dressed and acted that wasn't like 1972 . The basic story was Good but not so good and the script was unfunny was had no power at all . The actors were the best thing in the movie . Johnny's performance was very good but i thing he could do a lot better . Michelle Pfeiffer was lovely as she is always . this also apply for Eva . Chloë did her her role very well but the character was let down like all other character . Tim's Direction was better then his last but not better then his others .
One of the most amazing thing of the movie was its effect . The Cracking Witch was unbelievability Awesome .
Overall Dark Shadows is entertaining but not as funny/Horrifying as u might think !… Expand

I don't usually like Tim Burton's movies and Dark Shadows is in between. I liked it but then i didn't like it. Overall it was an ok film, and nothing more. Johnney Depp was his usual strange but comedic self in another one of his collaborations with Tim Burton, but he didn't even feel like the main character throughout. This movie was so clustered and packed with different plots and narrators. One of the main storylines which was between Barnabus and Victoria was only granted about one or two scenes and both were very brief at that. I found myself laughing quite a few times which is about the only positive i can think of from this film other than Depps performance. The ending to the film was just plain strange. It moved from one new story, to and old story, to another new story, and then back to the old one. This film was just filled with too many storylines and different narrations. Theres only two reasons why i would recomend this movie and thats if you're a Depp fan or a Tim Burton fan. If not, do not bother with this movie, even if you were a fan of the original tv series. 4/10… Expand

Definitely one of the better Johnny Depp movies in recent memory. I was surprised with not only the originality but also the drama in the tragedy for it being such a light-hearted film. Definitely worth watching in my opinion.

Who else could be the better choice to direct thiz movie other than Tim Burton. The description is gothic, epic, classic, mystic, magic, comic, slapstick, frantic, scenic, antique, not yet tragic, but with no garlic! Just like his previous masterpieces such as BEETLE JUICE (1988), EDWARD SCISSORHANDS (1990), BIG FISH (2003) and ALICE IN WONDERLAND (2010). Thiz time, Tim Burton tries to bring back classic vampire tale based on the original TV series in 1970s-era. The story takes place in the year 1972, when 196-year-old vampire Barnabas Collins has just awakened in his coffin after being cursed by a cold hearted witch Angelique Bouchard who previously fell for him. Now, he arrives back in his grandiose mansion to restore his family to its former glory, what he does not know later, the world has changed a lot since his last departure. The original version looked more like a soap opera, but in Tim Burton hand it turns out to be a fresh family drama with some mysterious elements and sometimes cynical good humor. It is certainly acceptable, considering Tim Burton has done his homework for compiling 1.225 TV episodes into two-hour movie. On thiz occasion, the Director Tim Burton has also successfully gathered together all his favorite performers. Thiz is his eighth collaboration with Johnny Depp, his seventh with his real-life partner Helena Bonham Carter, his fifth with Christopher Lee and his second with Michelle Pfeiffer after her role as Catwoman in BATMAN RETURNS (1992). Have you ever seen the original Barnabas Collins which played by Jonathan Frid? If you are old enough to have a chance to see his performance previously, you probably would have realized that Johnny Depp has done a lot of efforts to portray that character through his tone of voice, his facial expression and even his gestures. Beside that, there are some other performances which have got my attention. For the umpteenth time, Chloë Grace Moretz has shown her maturity in acting, thiz time to become a rebel teen daughter. Bella Heathcote also makes a special impression as a mysterious new nanny. And Eva Green is obviously very attractive and sensual even as a ruthless witch. The rest of the Cast members are Johnny Lee Miller, Jackie Earle Haley and Gulliver McGrath, plus a special guest appearance by the legendary rock star Alice Cooper. In fact, the gang of 1970s version also make cameo appearances as the guests in the ballroom party scene, including the late Jonatahan Frid, Lara Parker, David Selby and Kathryn Leigh Scott. Thiz movie really brings us back in time to 1970s. Everything is so authentic, including the clothes, the hairstyles, the cars and even the songs. My favorite moment is when they play the song TOP OF THE WORLD by The Carpenters. Somehow, the song sounds so fresh and uplifting. It sounds pretty much like thiz, Such a feeling coming over me. There is wonder in most everything I see... It can also be precise words to describe thiz movie. Get ready for nostalgia ^_^



Visit My Blog on JONNY MOVEE: http://jonnyfendi.blogspot.com… Expand

Après le désastre qu'avait été Alice aux Pays des Merveilles, il est heureux de retrouver notre cher Tim Burton dans cet univers gothique (avec monstres et humour noir) qui lui est propre. Et avec Dark Shadows, le réalisateur reconquiert nos coeurs en nous livrant enfin un film dans lequel on retrouve enfin sa patte (superbes décors, ambiance gothique détendue, maquillages réussis, musique de Danny Elfman...) et un casting à la hauteur du projet (Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green, Helena Bonham Carter...). Malheureusement, le film déçoit car étant beaucoup moins déjanté que la bande-annonce qui nous laissait espérer un divertissement à la Beetlejuice. Au final, Dark Shadows reste une comédie un peu légère qui ne fait qu'amuser car bien plus sérieuse que prévue et qui peut se montrer incomplet (question personnages et rapidité du dénouement). En espèrant que Burton fasse mouche avec son remake d'animation Frankenweenie!… Expand

This movie is a curious one. It can't seem to decide if it wants to be a horror or a comedy. And no, it can't seem to be both, for some weird reason. If anything, this movie would have worked allot better as a pure horror movie. The comedy just feels forced and out of place. Allot of interesting ideas floating about that just don't get realized. Bottom line, it's poorly written and perhaps Burton's biggest blunder to date. BUT, it does have quite a few saving graces. Some excellent performance from Michelle Pfeiffer Jackie Earle Haley. Depp is also pretty decent, but doesn't really do anything we haven't already seen from him before. Eva Green is just utterly breathtaking and plays her role magnificently. Special effects are, mostly, top notch and some great set pieces. Overall: An OK movie that is generally OK but perhaps a little subpar to Burton's usual standards.… Expand

Probably it's not the best collaboration between Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, Dark Shadows was a little more than a disappointment. The laughs were a little funny, but Eva Green sure looks smokin' hot as Angelique. Although some of the scenes were too dark with less violent a little bit, but I'm not sure if fans haven't been familiar with the short-lived soap opera cult back in the late 60's. I watched every Burton/Depp movies like Edward Scissorhands, Sweeney Todd, Alice in Wonderland, and Sleepy Hollow. So Dark Shadows is good, but it needs a makeover. I'll wait for a rental.… Expand

Despite all the flaws and difficulties imposed upon DARK SHADOWS, it certainly did have its moments. The movie itself wasnâ

Oh Johnny, The Tourist was better then this. Tim, Alice and Wonderland was a masterpiece. What the F%#K was this. Unfunny the only funny moments were probably in the trailer or the first 8 minutes. Please this won an award for best comedy. The audience and I laughed more at "Madeas Whitness Protection". God, that should've won instead this, eh still a better plot then Avatar. I actually enjoyed Twilight more.… Expand

I don't know about you, but I feel that Johnny Depp is simply just going through the motions. Dark Shadows is a film with many jarring, tonal shifts. It's interesting but it's just too weird for its own good (yeah, even to a Tim Burton fan like me). One of Mr Burton's worst effort.

Unless you are a fan of Johnny Depp and/or Michelle Pfeiffer, Eva Green, Helena Bonham Carter and/or Tim Burton you will have a hard time sitting through this almost 2 hour film of â

great story, great cast, great fun The atmosphere was scary and funny at the same time.I really liked eva green and chloe grace moretz

The trailer might have given sort of the wrong idea. The first half is comedic with Depp playing the fish-out-of-the-water as a vampire in the 70s, but the second half takes a slightly darker turn (it IS called Dark Shadows innit) and by the end it gets grittier and even a bit dramatic. Don't get me wrong, I liked it and it does look gorgeous. Eva Green looks stunning and does a fabulous job as the blonde antagonist who almost plays Depp off the screen. But I guess it failed at the box-office coz it feels a bit unbalanced and got misrepresented by the marketing campaign.… Expand

Movies with potential need to stop screwing themselves over. This was interesting and decent for a while but due to lame plot twists and poor story development with bad jokes it turns out a very pretty piece of crap.

I'm not sure why people all seem to give this movie a bad review. Maybe they were expecting this to be a masterpiece like some of the other Tim Burton movies starring Johnny Depp. Is this Edward Scissorhands? No. Is this The Nightmare Before Christmas? No. Is this Sleepy Hollow? No. Is this a light comedy by Tim Burton starring Johnny Depp as a Vampire come back from the grave who says many funny things because he is only aware of things from the Victorian Age? Yes. If you like Johnny Depp and you want to see him say funny things in an old English accent when he misinterprets things in modern society then you will enjoy this film. The film does seem to move in multiple directions, never really landing on one, maybe that is why people find it weird. Is it a comedy? Action? Soap Opera? A bit of all of the above? -- Probably. Anyway, I saw it in the theater and I enjoyed it enough that I don't feel I wasted my time and money (a major feat these days with all the bad movies I've seen lately). I give it an 8/10… Expand

While the movie did have a good premise, Dark Shadows fails. Not terribly, but enough so that it is only deemed mediocre by myself and by my family. The story isn't rich enough, the screenplay is okay. This screams nothing special. And for that, my diagnosis would be to see it. Just know, this isn't like Sweeney Todd or some other great Burton movie.

A fun movie but at the same time dramatic and a little horror. Excellent scenery, even the special effects,an amazing make up, as always, a truly stellar cast and a storyline particularly full of vampires, witches, curses and mysteries to solve.