Plot: Jake's (Asa Butterfield) beloved Grandfather used to tell him stories about a Miss Peregrine's boarding school with strange and magical children -- just like Prof X's school but with younger students. After Grandpa dies, Jake goes to the site of the now ruined school, and is magically transported to 1943 during the Nazi bombing of this island in Wales. Miss Peregrine (Eva Green), runs a tight ship at the school, and she has cast a spell to keep time from passing, and to keep the school hidden from the monstrous Holos and their magical master Barron (Samuel L Jackson.)
Barron and his Cronies want to kill the children and eat their eyes to attain immortality. Jake is attracted to the cute Emma (Ella Purnell), and so he evades his father to spend time there, just when Barron arrives to capture Miss Peregrine and kill the children. After initial escape, Jake and friends battle Barron and the Holos until the unavoidable ending.
[imdb] [photos]
Review: Weird and creepy, this halloween-like fantasy adventure is too creepy for kids, yet still a little juvenile for me. The creepy parts, especially the bad guys eating eyeballs, is really creepy. The monsters were scary, and the overall vibe was creepy. The story starts slow and a little bit sleepy, but eventually we meet the kids and figure out how peculiar they are.
The best acting was from Eva Green, who is marvelous as the tough and mysterious Miss Peregrine. Loved it. Samuel L Jackson's Barron is mercurial, strange and menacing -- great acting. Asa Butterfield starts out slow and never musters the emotion to energize the role. I never thought was realistically flirting with Emma (Ella Purnell) -- let alone in love with her. None of the children were very good, except for Finley MacMillan's Enoch, who was brooding & creepy.
The art direction was a highlight too especially the ghost ship; sometimes it got juvenile, for example the battle with the skeletons. The Hollows eating a feast of eyeballs is unforgettable. Nightmarish.
This is a fantasy, so the story is necessarily a bit silly -- this is no different. I don't hold that against it.
Overall, it was fun, after a slow start.
Cast: Eva Green, Asa Butterfield, Samuel L Jackson, Ella Purnell
Directed by: Tim Burton
Based on the book by: Ransom Riggs
The Music: Not memorable.
The Visuals: Great. I saw it in 3D. It has some great images.
Rating: 2.5 stars: Great visuals. Could have used better young actors.
More: I am interested in reading the books.
Even More: Tim Burton is just the guy for a nightmare story like this.
.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment