Casper the Friendly Ghost is given the Tim Burton treatment in this computer-animated cartoon with a claymation look. The powers of cuteness and niceness triumph over the old-style order in which ghosts, vampires, mummies and so forth are sent to 'scare school' in order to learn how to terrify 'fleshies'.
It is interesting that in the two decades since Burton's askew vision of horror, as shown most clearly in BEETLEJUICE, EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, and the animated features THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE Christmas and THE CORPSE BRIDE, that view has become mainstream to the extent that Casper the Friendly Ghost can be given the same treatment. However, the result here is viewer-friendly kiddie farce, eked out not with black humor but with puns and 'adults make no sense' jokes. The result is sporadically amusing, and children are likely to be entertained by it. but adults can give it a miss.
It is interesting that in the two decades since Burton's askew vision of horror, as shown most clearly in BEETLEJUICE, EDWARD SCISSORHANDS, and the animated features THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE Christmas and THE CORPSE BRIDE, that view has become mainstream to the extent that Casper the Friendly Ghost can be given the same treatment. However, the result here is viewer-friendly kiddie farce, eked out not with black humor but with puns and 'adults make no sense' jokes. The result is sporadically amusing, and children are likely to be entertained by it. but adults can give it a miss.