With Frankenweenie director Tim Burton may very well prove the recent naysayers wrong. After a couple of critical duds in the shape of Alice in Wonderland and Dark Shadows, Burton has returned with a lovingly crafted, if overly familiar, stop-motion animation that proves he’s still got something worthwhile left to offer the film world.
Expanded from his 1984 short film of the same name, Frankenweenie tells the story of Victor and his dog Sparky. Practically inseparable, Victor is devastated one day when Sparky is hit by a car and dies. Not willing to accept the death of his beloved dog he conducts a science experiment to bring him back to life, with disastrous consequences.
There’s something about the technique that gives weight to stop-motion animation. But it’s more than that in this case; every inch of Frankenweenie is meticulous and infused with a passion and creativity. Presented in gorgeous stark black-and-white – who else in Hollywood but Burton would get away with such a thing for a kid-friendly animation? – the film is a visual delight.
The plot is more than a tip of the hat to classic horrors, with even the character’s names paying homage; Victor Frankenstein, Elsa Van Helsing, Edgar E. Gore, to name but a few. This, of course, will go over the little heads in the audience but offers some bonus Easter Eggs for the adults.
A host of previous Burton collaborators populate the inspired voice cast including Catherine O’Hara, Martin Landau, Martin Short and Winona Ryder, nicely complimenting one another. And surprisingly there’s no sign of Johnny Depp or Helena Bonham Carter, which will be a welcome relief to those sick of Burton hitting the default casting button.
On a technical level Frankenweenie is flawless, visually beautiful and inventive with a staggering level of detail. It’s a shame, then, that plot-wise feels been there, done-that and not just because it’s paying homage to Frankenstein and the like. For instance, keen-eyed Burton fans will recognise a set-piece lifted straight from his ghostly ’90s film Sleepy Hollow, and of course there’s the apt Corpse Bride/The Nightmare Before Christmas comparisons to be made.
The script, by regular Burton collaborator John August (Big Fish, Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), seems content not to push the boat and just let the visuals do the talking (which on one level is entirely understandable). Burton’s kid-friendly approach also means the humour is at odds with the dark aesthetic, falling prey to slapstick on occasion, and builds to a predictable (though admittedly touching) finish with its broad strokes life lessons about loving and letting go.
There’s a sincerity to Burton’s latest effort that almost automatically demands respect. And it’s entirely admirable for its unique style among a sea of interchangeable Hollywood animations (Hotel Transylvania being a recent offender). This year’s ParaNorman is far superior in almost every way – not least of which is hitting the emotional target with a lot more impact – but Frankenweenie is more than worth a look particularly if you’ve become jaded by Burton’s output as of late.
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