The movie wasn't bad - but the books are much better! I hope the next book in the series (due in the fall) makes it onto the book reviews portion of metacritic.

Very good indeed!!!

There's just something about a movie that keeps you guessing about what will happen next. The writing and dialogue is exceptional. The use of subtitles for baby Sunny was hilarious. Great use of irony and foreshadowing. The character development was well done - I felt like I knew the character of even the minor actors. Jim Carrey was awesome and the children were superb. Great visual effects and production.… Expand

Great performances from the actors, great sets, beutiful cinematography and a story line that was beyond ridiculous. Not that there is anything wrong with a ridiculous script, just as long as it isn't boring too.

Another episode of Jim Carrey single handedly ruining a movie. Unfortunatly, even withou him this would have been a mediocre effort at best.

I love this movie it is the best movie ever i love it i always laugh my head off.

This movie SUCKS! Count Olof is supose to be scary not Stupid And Funny! s

When I sat thought this movie I wished I had followed the instructions given at the very beginning by Jude Law the narrator. Its very good advice and well taken. That is you should stop viewing it immediately and go do something else. I also must say that children may actually enjoy it but as an adult I found it dull and lacking.

Jim Carrey delivers a stunning performance amid a mediocre (i.e. terribly predictable) plot. Many of the subplots seem severely underdeveloped, but all-in-all: worth the cash.

The Movie seemed old fashon but had a good plot .You never knew what would happen next!

I think this movie was awesome!! I'm so glad Jim Carry played Count Olaf! Jim Carry made the movie outstanding! Even if they used someone else it still would have ben great! I was flabbergasteed @ the end because I finally say the movie! I am a big fan of the book the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and the11th book! I can,t wait untill the 12th and 13th come out!!!!

How dull, it's like watching paint dry, plenty of money has been thrown at it but to little effect, I was expecting excitment put only found boring monologues, if you suffer from insomnia then this is the movie for you.

I’ve never read the books…. and never plan to. That said, I enjoyed the movie. Jim Carrey delivers a ridiculously clever performance that balances out the stark and gloomy setting perfectly. One of the most unique and quirky children’s movies I’ve had the pleasure of seeing.

It's not just Carrey - nearly the entire cast overacts their parts. Sunny is the only interesting character in this clumsy pretentious effort.

This movie was really frustrating to watch. First of all its annoyingly stupid that the kids can't communicate that Count Olaf, who is a serial killer, is in disguise. So right that gets annoying and then you just imagine like the rest of the movie does stupid unrealistic things, plus the kids are annoying, Jim Carey is stupid, and the narrator Jude Law is pretty much the only decent thing about the movie but even he gets hackneyed.… Expand

In my opinion, you can't judge this movie just by reading the books. I feel they did a very good job sticking to the general storyline of the first three books in the series. Darkly humorous and exciting to the end, audiences may enjoy this movie more than critics.

It was relley good but i liked reading it more, its beacause it was longer.i cant wait until the second movie comes out. i cant wait 4 the 12th book either!its gonna be so good (i hope).

This is my favourite movie! The books are good and so is the movie! The only problem is that Jim Carrey made Olaf likeable! But Emily Browning and Liam Aiken were amazing! Kara and Shelby Hoffman were so cute as Sunny! A must see!

At no point in this movie did i think it was good.

I agree totally with Stephanie R. This film is one of the best I've ever seen! Added to the fact that Liam Aiken was in it and he is one of the most gorgeous boys on the planet, second only to Dan Radcliffe. I know a lot of the words and it's great fun saying them along with the characters.

The movie was great, and people should stop comparing it to the books. It's like a subconscious thing. If people could just look at the movie only as a seperate thing, as chess is different to candy, then you'll see why the movie is great. Of course, I don't mean to say that the books were bad. They're great! I got 12th book at the day it came out, and now I'm done with all 12, plus the unauthorized autobiography of Lemony Snicket. If you watch the DVD version, don't turn it off at the end. When the credits roll by, it's really amusing. Captain Sham (a.k.a. Count Olaf) does this weird pirate act.… Expand

Ring This movie was great, and it couldn't have been better. Movie one is this great, and I can't wait for the really great next movie. None of the parts in this movie sucks.

The books are the best i am on the 11 and it is great i am about to finish it and i hope if there is a nother move it should be in line and klaus should have glasses.

The movie Series of Unfortunate Events I thought was pretty cool. It had all the charactors, but the one thing I did not like about the movie was that Klaus did not wear glasses.

Jim Carey, like Robin Williams, is best when constrained by the director. Brad Silberling gives him his head and what could have been a super movie turns second-rate. A send-up of a caricature of a grotesque. Your initials may be JC but this film is not all about you.

I I only like this movie because of all the little funny things in it. It really cracks me up sometimes!

This beauty production it's definily good,isn't a amazing adaptation but still diserve our atention.

Iit was realy good you should make a nother movie. I know a lot over people that want you to make a 2nd movie.

It was dull and lacking exictment and out of order to the books.

It was the single worst book turned into a film I have ever seen. It put me off reading the books for a week!

The movie was great. The characters were brave and they understand their situation. They know how to fight.

Having not read the books I entered the movie without knowing what it was about. I was immediatly blown away by the production and the wit of the writer. I enjoy Jim Carry and think of him as a genious when it comes to bringing life to characters. Loved the story, loved the characters and really enjoyed the beautiful art production. Have got it out again and again.

Great casting, acting, storyline (without reading the books beforehand), and the greatest of all is the art direction/cinematography. What an eye candy! This one's a keeper, as compared to the boring Potter movies.

?Lemony Snickets..A Series of Unfortunate Events? stars Jim Carrey and that?s about all you can say for the picture. It is a showcase for his talent which, admittedly, he has a lot of, but as a movie, it?s just not very good. This is one of those pictures where having read the book would have made it more enjoyable and entertaining as you watch characters you?ve read about come to life on the screen. The movie is concocted and makes it very clear that this is the first of many, so the producers wish. I don?t think the public will agree. It gets a 7. … Expand

Nothing like the BOOK.

Absolutely Hilarious.

Although it had a witty plot I feel it was a huge disapointment to people WHO REALLY READ THE BOOKS and an insult to lemony snicket himself. I found everything went wrong and I feel the same about HARRY POTTER#3 with all due respect HPGIRL.

What a rush!!! I'd take this over Harry Potter anyday. Fast paced and visually enchanting. Sunny is a riot and Jim Carrey is prefect for the multi-character Count Olaf. DON"T MISS THIS ONE!!!!!!!

I knew that I would like the movie as soon as I saw the poster. The only thing that would have made it even better is if Tim Burton was the Director.

Its great fabulous actors, and the plot was good!

A bit disjointed. Done in the manner of Harry Potter movies with overdone visuals. Entertaining certainly but hard to figure out the mystery, even after the ending. A lot of questions left unanswered, but of course that is what sequels are for, and this movie defintely steers you towards a sequel.

This film was surprisingly good. it is the first PG i have seen that has actually been good. Altough slightly predictalbe, it is funny, good story line (although slightly erratic), great acting and the scenery is great.

Yes, i definetly enjoyed this more then the first to Harry Potter movies. this shorter style of movie making is a better way to do it. 3 books in 1. i unfortunetly liked it.

Has everyone forgotten that movies are often just supposed to entertain the audience? I only read the first book in the series. I am 42 and frankly I found this movie quite entertaining, in a good-creepy way.

Meryl Streep's performance is alone worth the price of admission

AWESOME movie!

How can you say that it is a 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8, or a 9. It is going to go far like Harry Potter!

Although it was somewhat enjoyable to see parts of the Lemony books come to life, it was a huge error to combine three books into one movie. The film is jumbled, out of order from the books, includes many scenes not in the books, and never takes the opportunity to explore all the characters. For fans of the books, this adaptation is a great disappointment.

This movie, while not absolutely horrible, was not worth the admission price at the theatre. It was geared towards children, and as adults, we found ourselves bored and wondering when it would be over!

Having read a couple of the books, it seemed to have caught the atmosphere. The sets are stylish, and the performance of the Hoffman twins excellent. If you don't know the books, it will leave you a bit confused, but entertaining nevertheless. Producers seem to have left their options open to a second film, but unlike the books, there was an implied satisfactory end.

Absoloutley abissmal!!!!!!! Dont go and see it because you would rather pour acid in your eyes!!!!

This is a great movie to be enjoyed by people of all ages - especially the adults. Amazingly, jim Carrey didn't bother me at all in this movie. While some of these critics have acused him of his usualy over-the-top style, I think they over look the purposely over-the-top nature of the movie. Whimsical is an understatement, brillant is an overstatement. Its got great acting and visuals to aid it, as well as a very clever plot.… Expand

It's very good and interesting. If you like solving mysteries you'll love this. Although it could have been a bit better by giving Klaus glasses and Count Olaf could have been more evil.

This movie is superb.

Funny, enjoyable, gloomy. But lacks spirit of the book by making 3 books to 1 movie of 107 minutes. I'd take Harry Potter rather than this.

PG? No way. Even though Jim Carrey plays Uncle Olaf's diabolical intentions for laughs, a child under the age of eight might not realize it. This same hypothetical child won't see a friendly snake, but just a snake, with the subtitled baby. Is a subtitled baby less annoying than a talking one? No. Carrey having already played under heavy makeup in such films as "The Mask" and "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas", might be overlooked here, which would be a mistake. As a seaman in the Popeye mode, Carrey seems to point out the growing irrelevance of Robin Williams as a comic actor. When Meryl Streep joins Carrey, you might recall the Laura Linney character in "The Truman Show" was named Meryl, which signifies...absolutely nothing. … Expand

I loved the kids and Carey. The visuals were very striking and inventive. Alittle disjointed, since it was a compilation of three stories, but overall very well done.

Being a jaded 40+ father dragging their kids to another bad holiday movie, I was surprised how much I loved this movie. A visual spectacle and an entertaining story. Better than any of the Harry Potter movies for sure.

A great film in every department!

Surprisingly not bad--it's very entertaining. Even if you are not thrilled by the storyline, the visuals are sure to astound.

This is the best its so different to any other film i've seen thats why its so good.

I am a German, saw the film in original version in a sneak preview. I did not understand every word but the acting of Mr Carrey made it a nice adventure and only for that its enough to watch that movie.

I really enjoyed the movie. I am giving this movie a 10 because i love the books. I'm also a BIG FAN!

A wonderful attempt at recreating the sardonic humor displayed so readily in the rather enjoyable series of Handler's books. But however the case may be, I think that Brad Silberling could have tried a little harder to replicate the atmosphere of menace that is present throughout many of the books. It just seemed to me as if the movie was too jolly. i do think, though, that this movie will produce many sequels because of it massive box-office earning of close to $100 million.… Expand

I am still VERY Srprised how awesome this film was ....Largely in part to this AMAZING trio of young actors I highly recommend this film ( take it from me I HATE JIM CAREY but this was a great film.

It looked good, the acting was excellent, but the story was dull and flawed. Maybe it deserves a higher score on its merits as a childrens movie, but I'm not a child.

I luved it, especially jm cary was funny.

The movie was ok in it's own right, but if you are going to purport to be the same story as something else (aka: a book), then actually be the same. My biggest beef is not that the movie takes a little artistic liberty, but that it takes a lot. Entire sections of the plot are changed or rearranged, to no actual benefit. And, picking Jim Carrey to play Count Olaf shows just how little the books were understood by the movie's makers. If you're a fan of the books, you'll be disappointed by the movie; if you're not, or you haven't read them, you'll leave confused by plot holes, but you might enjoy it.… Expand

I can't believe how horrible the movie was. Anyone who is a fan of the book series should not go see this movie. Jim Carey was the worst possible actor they could have gotten to play count Olaf becuase Olaf is supposed to be scarey not funny. I am completely dissapointed and it's a shame that this movie ever came out. Sorry.

This movie gets a three rating only.

I read the books before i watched this movie and I was disatified with where the events where placed in the movie i mean they took half of the 1st book and put it at the end...honestly you should have at least put the events in the right order...other than that the movie was pretty good!

A Wonderful movie! I enjoyed this movie very much. Even the end credits were absolutely wonderful!

I think it was a really good movie because it was funny but also when you think about it, it is really sinister and creepy. I liked the cleverness of the children and how surreal it was- making it more like a nightmare. I havn't read the books so I wouldn't know how accurate it is but I would say it's well worth watching!

I think that they books are so0o0o00o0 much better than the movies because, the movie was only 3 boks in one movie.

I hate this movie. i hate it. It's soooooo gross and it is very hard to understand the things that are said yet.

I found that this movie was so boring that I actually fell asleep in the theater, my girlfriend had to nudge me to wake me up when it was over.

I have only walked out of one movie in my life, Caddyshack 2. Jim Carrey gives a very Jackie Mason like performance. A beautiful movie to look at so members of NORML might enjoy but I want 107 minutes of my life back.

This was a very good MOVIE. but when youve read 9 of the books like me, you relize it sticks only two the MAIN STORY LINE. it like this: book 1, book 2, book 3, book1. the end of the first is the end of the movie! Jim Carrey was FUNNY, but, come on!! Count Olaf is supposed to be scary! and they prunounce klause's name, whitch is like santa clause, like clown with an s insted of a n. suny was the only thing they did right.… Expand

It was a nice moive because i read all the books so i understood it, but when i asked my dad if he liked it he said it had to many holes and it made him feel like he would not like the books! please do not see it if you have not read the books and if you have prepare to be dissapointed!!!

I think this movie was spectaculor. The three children were perfect for the role. My only problem with the movie is that jim carrey played count olaf which is supposed to be an evil part not a funny part but he was ok it would of been nice if he were more eviler though!

So bad, it's unfortunate.

This is a good but stupid movie. It has Klaus without wearing glasses and the glasses are a BIG part in book 4 that will be in part 2 and violet is younger then Klaus in real life. and Emily Browning (violet) isn't even hott!!! In conclusion, the characters suck!!!

Very funny movie Great interpretation of Jim Carrey. Baby Sunny is the funniest character. The soundtrack is spectacular!! The plot is not so banal as it may seem. But it may not be the kind of movie you would expect after the trailer and by Jim Carrey and Meryl Streep.

I loved it! It was smashing! The only thing was Count Olaf was supposed to be Evil, and Klaus didn't have glasses. If they make a continued movie, how are they going to make it without Klaus's glasses?

Right in the midst of parts that seem like they're trying to make you laugh, you suddenly get a sense that the producers are trying to make the movie so believable that you put yourself in the shoes of the kids, and when that happens, you're filled with a sense of grief at the terrible things thar are happening. This leaves a sour taste in your mouth, unless you have a strong sense of schadenfreude.… Expand

It was a little better than Ok but it isn't the first kids film I think of when I'm feeling nostaligic. The children are quite weak and I'd prefer to read the books. The whole thing did the job but it wasn't anything to rant and rave about.

its not the exact kind of Harry Potter you're looking for, but this movie relies on Jim Carrey's hilarious peformance as the villian and it will please moviegoers of all ages.

I thought this movie was pretty sweet. Yes, I know that it is a little out of order compared to the books but you have to admit it was still pretty cool. Although my favorite part in the movie isn't the picture itself, but an outake that had me on the floor laughing. I f you have the movie, go to the special features. Then go to "Orphaned Scenes" and select "Obnoxious Outakes" Then arrow down to Olaf's Workshop. The first part's dumb but after that it is hilarious.… Expand

A great series of books turned into a pretty good movie. I imagine that it would be difficult for such amazing books to be turned into a good movie, as it always is, but this movie was very well done.

Wonderful adaption of a children's book series: perhaps not as edgy or dark as the original material but still the same tone. The art direction is fantastic (the shadow-puppet chase during the end credits is a masterpiece.) Jim Carey is used to his best abilities--he acts the part of a bad actor but he is NOT allowed to go over the top or chew the scenery (as often happens when he is unleashed in kiddie films.) They child actors are truly wonderful: droll, thoughtful, serious but engaged. The direction is spot on: tone, performances and dark beauty are consistent throughout. One of my favorite SMART and ARTISTIC and FUNNY movies for children. Skip the other mind-numbing drivel that passes as entertainment for children -- and watch this marvelous offering.… Expand

There really is no reason that this movie shouldn't be an 8, 9, or even a 10. The acting is great, and Jim Carey makes a perfect Count Olaf. The plot follows the first three books pretty well... while admittedly pulling an ending from one and sticking it on another to give the movie a real ending. The script is good. The cinematography is good. It's just... there's something that existed in the books that the movie failed to recreate. Maybe it's simply the fact that it's a visual experience instead of a mental one, and in that light everything 'unfortunate' happening to Violet, Klaus, and Sunny seems almost cruel when it's mean to be darkly humorous. The books were a comedy. The movie plays more like a drama, and that's it's weakness. It doesn't embrace the weirdness that Snicket embodies so well in his books, instead trying to play off of it for suspense, which ultimately ends in the near-waste of a talented cast and wonderful plot.… Expand

Cramming 3 books into 1 short film isnt a good idea, Especially when Lemony Snicket books are filled with countless details that the film left out. The cast was good and Jim Carrey is at his best in this film. I was a huge fan of the books and I was excited for this film but it was just a major disapointment.