Film: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

GENRE: Fantasy Adventure

RATING: PG-13 for violence
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 7 minutes

STARRING: Asa Butterfield (Hugo, Ender’s Game)

Eva Green (Casino Royale), Ella Purnell (Kick-Ass 2, Maleficent)

DIRECTOR: Tim Burton (Edward Scissorhands, Batman, Sweeny Todd)

WRITER: Jane Goldman (Kingsman, X-Men: First Class, Kick-Ass)

PLOT: A boy visit Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children where the residents have special powers. Unfortunately, he is followed by danger.

FULL DISCLOSURE: Used to love Tim Burton films. Now they’re okay.

STORY STUFF: I haven’t read the book but it is an interesting tale. There are some fun fantastical elements to it but the plot kind of plodded along. I wish this film had a bit more energy and was streamlined.

ACTING STUFF: Some fun roles in this film. I liked pretty much all of the peculiar children and Butterfield is a great kid actor. I thought Green’s role need a bit more pizazz, but again, I haven’t read the book. With Kingsman and now this, Samuel L Jackson just doesn’t do it for me as a comical villain. I don’t know what it is. He was so much better in things like Unbreakable.

ARTISTIC STUFF: Very Tim Burton-y. Some entertaining special effects for many of the peculiar children and the art direction is classic Burton. It’s just chock-full of whimsy.

VERDICT: Two and half out of five

SEE IT IF: You really like Tim Burton films.
UPCOMING REVIEWS: Jack Reacher 2