Shockingly good! A review of Tim Burton's FRANKENWEENIE

The last few Disney movies associated with Tim Burton have turned quite a pretty penny for the house of the Mouse and for all its merits, the upcoming FRANKENWEENIE will likely be no different.

I honestly thought it was unthinkable but Frankenweenie is a return-to-form, feeling very much like a classic Tim Burton story. It is chock-full of the dark themes, twisted sense of normal, and dry ironic comedy that excelled the morbidly-humored filmmaker to stardom. It exudes a familiar dark magic, the likes of which we have not really seen so thoroughly executed since before the Mars Attacks era.


Following a storyline that is similar to the 1984 live-action short film by the same name, Frankenweenie is the tale of young Victor who brings back to life his recently-deceased pet dog Sparky. Danger, hilarity, and the utmost charm ensue.

Sitting in the theater, I literally caught myself smiling like a goofy little kid and after wiping away the grimace, the sore muscles in my face made me realized I'd been smiling for quite a while. Everything is so carefully-crafted (and it really has to be considering that it takes about one week to animate just five seconds of screen-time) with a seemingly effortless flow that builds up the characters and storyline in a way that is compelling, funny, and entertaining.


In fact, Sparky the dog is animated so convincingly with the personality of a rambunctious little dog that you forget you are watching a stop-motion figure come to life. If you are a pet-owner, you will quickly connect with Sparky or at least connect with the bond that he shares with his owner Victor. The tiniest details like the scratching of his ear or the tilt of his head are spot on.

The unique characters are all so masterfully executed and fit perfectly into the story. On top of that, the voice talents are well-played including those from Burton alumni Catherine O'Hara and Winona Ryder. Most notably, there are standout performances by Martin Landu as Mr. Rzykruski and Atticus Shaffer as Edgar. In combination with clever designs, the voices bring to life truly iconic and memorable characters.


I also really loved the saturated dose of the 1960s that the costumes, set, and art direction takes on despite its setting in a more timeless framework. While Victor's suburb home-town of New Holland might look like it's straight out of an old "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" re-run, it has a distinctly timeless setting evidenced by a joke about the no-longer-a-planet Pluto.

Marked with a well-suited MPAA rating of PG, Frankenweenie is not scary. However, there are a few moments towards the end of the film with some scary creatures and loud noises that might upset little ones who are easily startled. The creatures here are less scary in appearance than those in the "Nightmare Before Christmas" but their overall scare-factor just seemed a bit more heightened, perhaps enhanced by the 3D and their more vicious portrayal.


In his directorial debut for Disney with an animated feature, Burton has really sparked to life a magical tale that is full of classic dark charm. The themes are familiar but they are somehow new again and exciting. Frankenweenie is yet another strong outting for Disney this year and it will undoubtedly scare up some serious ticket-sales at the box office. Frankenweenie is awesome.