Filled with monsters, time loops and peculiar children, “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” would seem to be another quintessential Tim Burton film — dark, fantastical and fun.
Yet the films disappoints, especially in regards to Burton’s directing. He’s traded in his distinctive whimsical style for a more generic one. Only a select few elements in the movie seem to fit with the director’s iconic taste, and those felt out of place among his new bland technique. Instead, Burton provides a slightly exaggerated color palette, stale slenderman monsters and an actress he has already worked with before in Eva Green.
Despite being a safe choice, Green shines in the titular role of Miss Peregrine. She is able to portray both a cunning and intelligent character while highlighting her strange and questionable behavior. She feels the most peculiar of any character in the film — a compliment in this context. Green embraces not only the power of the character, but also the strangeness her power brings.
The “peculiar children” are far more reserved in their behaviors. Most of the child actors played the roles as though they are simply ordinary children with powers, either due to their performance or the writing. Unlike Green, most of the other actors did not embrace the impact their powers would have on their personalities. This leads to lackluster performances across the board.
Additionally, the film’s pacing is off. The majority of the film is devoted to explaining the slightly confusing and cumbersome backstory, rather than progressing the actual plot. While knowledge of the mythology is essential, the film fails to strike an appropriate balance. Once the explanation phase has passed, “Miss Peregrine” picks up notably. Yet, due to the lengthy explanatory period of the film, the more interesting period feels extremely short.
The film, while entertaining, falls far below expectations. With a promise of Tim Burton directing, many were excited for a dark, twisted version of “Miss Peregrine.” However, this film feels as though it could have been directed by anyone. Burton forsakes his defining style, and with the exception of Eva Green, the performances in the film feel lackluster and dull. The film promises “peculiar,” but fails to deliver.
Correction: An earlier version of this article stated Green and Burton collaborated several times in the past. The two have only worked together once before this film.
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