Children's movies tend to be so light and uplifting that you can't help but feel you're drowning in cuteness. This is not the case in "A Series of Unfortunate Events," a film cut with both Victorian era sensibilities as well as dark dread of a Tim Burton film.
Life has not been well for the Baudelaire children. When their parents killed in a mysterious fire, the court places them in the custody of their theatrical uncle, Count Olaf (Jim Carrey). Olaf has his own plans for the children, which involve wiping them out in elaborate methods that would make Wile E. Coyote blush.
But the kids are not helpless. Violet (Emily Browning), the eldest of the Baudelaire children, has a knack for invention. Klaus (Liam Aiken) is well read and can tap into his extensive knowledge at any time, and little baby Sunny (Kara and Shelby Hoffman) has a habit of biting things with her powerful teeth.
The children soon visit other family members as well, each with their own particular quirks. Uncle Monty (Billy Connolly) has a fascination with reptiles, while their Aunt Josephine (Meryl Streep) has become very paranoid about how various things may come to harm her. However, whenever the kids are starting to become comfortable or learn more about their family's mysterious origins, Count Olaf pops up in disguise to ruin the proceedings.
The children choose to use their skills to fight off their uncle while simultaneously trying to piece together clues their parents left behind for them.
"A Series of Unfortunate Events" may be the first very dark children's movie in quite some time. As the narrator, Lemony Snicket (Jude Law) tells us, this is not a story filled with happy little elves and the like. The plot is filled with harrowing, depressing and shocking turns for the little children, but what happens is so over the top and tongue in cheek you can't help but laugh.
Director Brad Silberling gives the film the right surreal feel, a Gothic nightmare of a world where people such as Olaf are free to play deviously with unsuspecting children and the authorities remain ignorant of the man's true intentions. He brings an Addams Family level of the macabre to the story.
Carrey steals the show, playing Olaf with camp and scene chewing bravado while also showcasing a few of his own trademarks. However, if Carrey is the loudest thing about the production, he's also the most distracting. He commands attention in every in scene he's in, taking it away from the other characters who should be considered equally interesting.
The children all give great performances, with Browning and Aiken both playing their characters with nice touches of humanity in an inhumane world. The Hoffman twins are both cute as baby Sunny. Supporting actors Connolly and Streep both are interesting but are not on screen long enough to leave lasting impressions. Law, on the other hand, narrates the story with a dry British wit that feels perfect with the rest of the movie.
If "A Series of Unfortunate Events" has any problems, it's that the film is so episodic. This is not a surprise, since the movie is a combination of the first three books in the series, "The Bad Beginning," "The Reptile Room," and "The Wide Window." Still, the story just seems to hop from one bad situation to another with little rhyme or reason. However, in many people's minds that may be one the more addictive aspects of the series.
If you're looking for a family movie filled with cheer and joy, look elsewhere. However, if you want a dark tale that would fit in with Roald Dahl's output, then "A Series of Unfortunate Events" is just your ticket.
8 out of 10 stars. Carrey camps it up nicely, and everyone brings a delightful bit of gloom and doom to the holidays.
Life has not been well for the Baudelaire children. When their parents killed in a mysterious fire, the court places them in the custody of their theatrical uncle, Count Olaf (Jim Carrey). Olaf has his own plans for the children, which involve wiping them out in elaborate methods that would make Wile E. Coyote blush.
But the kids are not helpless. Violet (Emily Browning), the eldest of the Baudelaire children, has a knack for invention. Klaus (Liam Aiken) is well read and can tap into his extensive knowledge at any time, and little baby Sunny (Kara and Shelby Hoffman) has a habit of biting things with her powerful teeth.
The children soon visit other family members as well, each with their own particular quirks. Uncle Monty (Billy Connolly) has a fascination with reptiles, while their Aunt Josephine (Meryl Streep) has become very paranoid about how various things may come to harm her. However, whenever the kids are starting to become comfortable or learn more about their family's mysterious origins, Count Olaf pops up in disguise to ruin the proceedings.
The children choose to use their skills to fight off their uncle while simultaneously trying to piece together clues their parents left behind for them.
"A Series of Unfortunate Events" may be the first very dark children's movie in quite some time. As the narrator, Lemony Snicket (Jude Law) tells us, this is not a story filled with happy little elves and the like. The plot is filled with harrowing, depressing and shocking turns for the little children, but what happens is so over the top and tongue in cheek you can't help but laugh.
Director Brad Silberling gives the film the right surreal feel, a Gothic nightmare of a world where people such as Olaf are free to play deviously with unsuspecting children and the authorities remain ignorant of the man's true intentions. He brings an Addams Family level of the macabre to the story.
Carrey steals the show, playing Olaf with camp and scene chewing bravado while also showcasing a few of his own trademarks. However, if Carrey is the loudest thing about the production, he's also the most distracting. He commands attention in every in scene he's in, taking it away from the other characters who should be considered equally interesting.
The children all give great performances, with Browning and Aiken both playing their characters with nice touches of humanity in an inhumane world. The Hoffman twins are both cute as baby Sunny. Supporting actors Connolly and Streep both are interesting but are not on screen long enough to leave lasting impressions. Law, on the other hand, narrates the story with a dry British wit that feels perfect with the rest of the movie.
If "A Series of Unfortunate Events" has any problems, it's that the film is so episodic. This is not a surprise, since the movie is a combination of the first three books in the series, "The Bad Beginning," "The Reptile Room," and "The Wide Window." Still, the story just seems to hop from one bad situation to another with little rhyme or reason. However, in many people's minds that may be one the more addictive aspects of the series.
If you're looking for a family movie filled with cheer and joy, look elsewhere. However, if you want a dark tale that would fit in with Roald Dahl's output, then "A Series of Unfortunate Events" is just your ticket.
8 out of 10 stars. Carrey camps it up nicely, and everyone brings a delightful bit of gloom and doom to the holidays.