Dark Shadows (2012)

Eccentric Action from Johnny Depp as a Vampire

Stars   :  Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, Jonny Lee Miller, Bella Heathcote
Score  :  7.0 / 10

 

A blind love can make a person lose common sense. They will be possessive and do everything they can to get a loved one. They did not hesitate to do anything that hurt loved ones. That was done by Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green) to Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp). Angelique is common people while Barnabas came from honorable family. His father pioneered the fishing industry, Collins Port, to succeed and become one of the great fishing industries. He also built a mansion for the family and gave it name Collins Wood. Angelique loves Barnabas when they first met at the port when they were children. They met again as adults and love each other. But Barnabas started to doubt about his feelings for Angelique.

Collins Port

Barnabas and Angelique

Angelique felt dissappointed to Barnabas and used magic to kill Barnabas parents. All the people thought that is caused by an accident, but Barnabas suspects to Angelique. Barnabas was devastated and became interested to black magic. Barnabas then met with Josette Dupres (Bella Heathcote), a woman he loved very much. Barnabas felt that Josette is his true love.

Angelique was very angry and used magic to kill Josette. Josette was under the spell of Angelique and went to the cliff widow. Josette then jumped from the cliff and died. Angelique then cursed Barnabas became a vampire. Angelique incited the people to capture and buried Barnabas alive inside a coffin. Barnabas was buried for centuries.

Barnabas was cursed became a vampire

Barnabas coffin

In 1972, a few generations of Collins family still lives in Collins Wood. They are Elizabeth Collins (Michelle Pfeifer) and her daughter Carolyn Stoddard (Chloe Grace Moretz), Roger Collins (Jonny Lee Miller) and his son David Collins (Gulliver Mc Grath), Dr. Julia Hoffman (Helena Bonham Carter) and two servants, Willie and Mrs. Johnson. Collins Port Industries was collapse, most of their ships purchased by Angel Bay.

Angel Bay continues to expand and build a place of business, to traverse the land where Barnabas was buried. At night when workers digging, they found Barnabas' coffin and opened it. Barnabas, who had long felt thirsty for blood, killed the workers. He returned to Collins Wood and tried to save Collins Port and his family from the collapse. But what Barnabas planned not as easy as imagined, especially after he found out that the owner of Angel Bay is Angelique.

If we look into some movie that directed by Tim Burton, this is not the first time for him to collaborate with Depp. Previously, they had worked together on Edward Scissorhands (http://www.reviewcinema.com/2013/02/edward-scissorhands-1990.html), Sleepy Hollow, Charlie in the Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland. Three of the films, including Dark Shadows have a similarity, an eccentric character, played by Depp. Edward Scissorhands, a monster with scissor hands. Willy Wonka, a mysterious owner of chocolate factory in Charlie in the Chocolate Factory. A crazy Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland, and now a vampire, Barnabas, in Dark Shadows.

It seems that Tim Burton was feeling suitable with Depp's act or the image eccentric roles that is inherent in Depp. We must also remember how was crazy Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean. This time Depp also changed like a vampire, not just from the make-up and costumes, but also the action. Just look at his act when open his mouth to suck blood, very creepy. It seems we no need to comment when he plays an eccentric role because he always gives a good performance. Depp is an actor who always dared to go out from the comfort zone. Depp has played many kinds of roles, a detective (21 Jump Street), a criminal (Public Enemies), to a pirate. 

Best performance as a vampire by Depp

To other players in Dark Shadows, they are plain, especially Michelle Pfeifer. It's very regretted that Pfeifer got the role as Elizabeth, a role that is less than her capability, such as in Scarface (http://www.reviewcinema.com/2013/02/scarface-1983.html). If her age was not far adrift from Depp, Pfeifer would be more suitable to play as Angelique than Eva Green.

Unfortunately, this film is not supported with an interesting story. The story was very plain, nothing special. Dark Shadows tells the story of a family business competition which presented with a sense of horror. There is also a love story in different generations, between Depp and Victoria, a woman who has a face like Josette, but she was not make the story becomes much more interesting. But, the ending was not bad and there was a bit of surprise. This film can still be enjoyed, some comedy scenes in it was very entertaining. Especially when looking at Depp action, which had buried for centuries and did not see the outside world. Then there are also scenes of vampires when making love, which is so spectacular  and splashy (do not worry because the scene was not vulgar). Some oldies song that debuted in the 1970s also included in the film, such as Top of the World by The Carpenters and Crocodile Rock by Elton John. So, watching Dark Shadow like watching a mixed of era, 1760, 1970 and 2012.