Frankenweenie Review
For the past decade various film critics have enjoyed use of the line “Tim Burton’s best film in a long time…” Well now it’s our turn. Frankenweenie is Tim burton’s best film in over a decade!
Frankenweenie starts off is classic Burton style, but not the lazy re-tread we have grown so accustomed to in the naughties. Yes Danny Elfman’s typically warped score is present, as are Burton’s nods to various horror favourites of the past – be it Hammer Horror, or specifically Vincent Price. Not ot mention a couple of little known James Whale movies.
This time though Burton has put his back into a bit and the mix of morbid comedy and spritely fun has been married much more successfully. For the first half anyway.
Young Vincent is growing up in one of those neighbourhoods akin to what you might find in Edward Scissorhands. It looks all very 50’s Americana. He lives happily with his mum and dad and his dog Sparky. When he is forced onto the kids baseball team tragedy strikes and Sparky is struck down in his youth.
But then Vincent gets the idea of using electricity to reanimate his favourite friend in the whole world, and one great and electrifying set-piece later and Sparky is running around again. But this is only the beginning.
Sadly it’s also here where the films plot doesn’t really seem to know where to go, except that it needs an idea to introduce a dangerous and horror element into the community n the second half. But although the second half seems a bit tacked on, the style and humour of the piece will keep big and small kids laughing to the end.
Burton is showing a much more eager side in this film, and thankfully it’s funny throughout. There are still ideas floating around in his head worthy of his style
Steven Hurst