Corpse Bride

Tim Burton
2005

While the aesthetics and mood of Tim Burton's latest foray into stop motion animation strongly suggests the classic "Nightmare Before Christmas," it is disappointing to find that "Corpse Bride" is easily forgettable. Not to say that the film isn't entertaining and enjoyable, its just more on the light side of entertainment.

This one's based on a destitute old-money family that arranges a marriage for their daughter with the son of some nouveau riche fish mongers. The would be groom, Victor, is a bit of a putz when it comes to the responsibility of marrying a perfect stranger and fails miserably at the wedding rehearsal. Seeking solitude in the woods Victor manages to accidentally wed the corpse of a young woman who in life was crossed and killed on her wedding day. This misunderstanding leads to a sticky situation for Victor, his would-be above-ground bride Victoria, and both sets of parents (not to mention the unnamed corpse bride herself).

The animations and textures are top notch, but the story seems a little underdeveloped and the film's ending is a genuinely obnoxious head-scratcher. Both sets of parents are brilliantly voice acted and deserve much more screen time than they're given. Its a shame there isn't some kind of coda with Victor, Victoria, and the economically mismatched elders.

Of course another disappointment is the incredibly simple stylistic choice of making the world of the living extremely dreary in contrast to the vibrant "lively" world of the dead. Burton's taste, while often macabre is usually made with a vibrant-fun spirit to begin with, making the garish colors and carnival atmosphere of the underworld seem a bit redundant.

Review by Brett A. Scieszka