The plot is a typical vampire story. Depp is Barnabas, a member of a once prosperous family in the 17th Century (or 18th?). He scorns the advances of a witch and instead falls in love with another. The witch puts a curse on him which turns him into a vampire and buries him for 200 years; also for good measure she makes his love interest jump off a cliff.
Barnabas is uncovered during a construction project and comes back to life in the 70's. this twist is ripe for snappy dialogue and one-liners as Barnabas reveals his total ignorance of 'modern' life and reacts and speaks as he did pre-burial. but instead, it was dull and slow with no funny lines and the 70's music (including one interminably played Carpenter's song) was intrusive and way too loud. There was also an unnecessary musical scene with Alice Cooper (who Barnabas kept referring to as a woman; and kept referring and again referred.)
Barnabas finds the remains of his family and starts to restore the finances. but he comes into deadly conflict with the witch who put the curse on him 200 years before. This results in a prolonged vampire versus vampire final fight. Michelle Pfeiffer was monotone with a flat affect. and totally wasted in this film. (or maybe she's just not a good actress??) and Helena Bonham Carter who can usually be relied on to be quirky and uniquely creative (in some ways, like a female Depp) was plodding and hard to watch.
I rated it a 3 and Bill gave it a 4.5.
I am reluctant to watch this film because I am often disappointed (and usually hostile) towards Tim Burton's films. The last one I watched was Alice in Wonderland, and it's the same story every time for me: visually fascinating and emotionally bankrupt. It's hard to feel for the characters. I sometimes even feel a vague sense of revulsion. The only film I liked was way back when: Edward Scissorhands. I really felt for the title character and his "visual" issues made sense in context of the story....I even despised Planet of the Apes. It's odd, Tim Burton is the only director I've ever encountered to whom I feel hostility...not disappointment or confusion or boredom. Hmmmm. Sorry to go on and on, but I guess I've need to get these deep feelings off my chest!
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