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FRANKENWEENIE (2012)Movie Reviews
Animated horror comedy about a young boy who harnesses the power of science to bring his beloved dog back to life. Cast:Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short, Martin Landau, Charlie Tahan, Atticus Shaffer, Robert Capron, Conchata Ferrell, Winona RyderDirector:Tim BurtonRelease Date:October 5, 2012DVD Release:January 8, 2013From:Walt Disney PicturesRating:PGLength:1 hr. 27 min.
Frankenweenie (2012) played to very good reviews. • Amy Biancolli wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle, "...pure, retro-cinematic joy... good fun, a visual feast for pie-eyed Burton fans - and a terrifically warped reminder of just how freaky a PG film can be." More Reviews Below...
Alynda Wheat, People: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...the beautiful stop-motion animation is shot in black and white.... the scares are enough to make the average 8-year-old jump in his seat... utterly captivating."(See all of Alynda Wheat's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 221 words, 10/04/12
Richard Corliss, Time: EXCELLENT "...the year's most inventive, endearing animated feature.... This movie is an attic experiment for its makers to be proud of and for audiences to cherish."(See all of Richard Corliss's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,006 words, 10/05/12
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: VERY GOOD(cg) "Tim Burton reminds us of why we love Tim Burton... painstakingly rendered... a visual and thematic return to the best Burton has offered in his earliest films..."(See all of Christy Lemire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 757 words, 10/04/12
Bradley Jacobs, Us Weekly: VERY GOOD(cg) "Boy loves dog. Boy loses dog. Boy learns to bring dog back to life... imaginative... The effects soar... manages to be both macabre and moving."(See all of Bradley Jacobs's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 122 words, 10/04/12
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...exquisite, macabre mayhem and a kind of reanimation all its own.... a romp of escalating 'horror'... a cool little flipbook of historical Burtonian style."(See all of Lisa Schwarzbaum's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 220 words, 10/05/12
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a dark and dazzling spellbinder.... Tim Burton's artistry is on par with his animated imaginings in 'Corpse Bride' and 'The Nightmare Before Christmas.' "(See all of Peter Travers's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 163 words, 09/28/12
Claudia Puig, USA Today: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...the story has an emotional heft that's unusual for Burton, who has often been more concerned with the eccentric than the heart-stirring.... a family-friendly fantasy..."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 542 words, 10/04/12
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "This isn't one of Burton's best, but it has zealous energy. It might have been too macabre for kids in the past, but kids these days, they've seen it all..."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 621 words, 10/05/12
Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...has the same morbid/clever high concept as the original, in which a horror-movie obsessed young outcast brings a beloved pet back to life... relatively inventive..."(See all of Glenn Kenny's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 519 words, 10/01/12
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: VERY GOOD(cg) "...this is one instance when adults are likely to derive more pleasure than their offspring. It's not often that can be said about an animated endeavor."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 822 words, 10/04/12
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (13 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD "The delights are abundant and real... But while it is fun, it is not nearly strange or original enough to join the undead, monstrous ranks of the classics it adores."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 811 words, 10/05/12
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: EXCELLENT(cg) "Burton's extraordinary powers of imagination are in dazzling bloom... a witty, warm appreciation of cinema, science and the creativity of childhood.... rare and welcome..."(See all of Elizabeth Weitzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 253 words, 10/05/12
Lou Lumenick, New York Post: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Tim Burton never lets the film veer very far from the bond between Victor and his imperfectly resurrected pet. That's what makes this one so special."(See all of Lou Lumenick's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 561 words, 10/05/12
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...carefully wrought in visual terms and more than a little familiar. Sometimes even a well-applied pair of jumper cables can't do the trick."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 502 words, 10/05/12
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...so softhearted that it passes up the chance to confront real issues... It's a quintessential Burton film, but also more Disney than a lot of Disney films."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 293 words, 10/05/12
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "This isn't one of Burton's best, but it has zealous energy. It might have been too macabre for kids in the past, but kids these days, they've seen it all..."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 621 words, 10/05/12
Chris Packham, Village Voice/LA Weekly: VERY GOOD "...evocation of 1950's suburbia is rendered and lit with realism and understatement, all the better to contrast with the very Tim Burton-y character designs."(See all of Chris Packham's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 823 words, 10/03/12
Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a playlist of films and characters from Burton's movie-loving childhood.... As much a parody as genre love-in, the laughs come frequently."(See all of Linda Barnard's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 683 words, 10/05/12
Liam Lacey, Toronto Globe & Mail: VERY GOOD(cg) "...meticulous visual design, mordant humour and happenstance plotting... a kind of summing up of almost every good Tim Burton movie..."(See all of Liam Lacey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 624 words, 10/05/12
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: EXCELLENT(cg) "...a gorgeous black-and-white stop-motion feature filled with striking images, smart commentary on the value of intellectual curiosity and devastating emotional beats."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 180 words, 10/04/12
KEY CITIES (13 Reviews)
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a jolt of jangly energy... Designed to appeal to both discriminating adults and older kids... a fresh, clever and affectionate love letter to classic horror movies."(See all of Michael O'Sullivan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 573 words, 10/05/12
David Hiltbrand, Philadelphia Inquirer: MODERATE(cg) "...incredibly meticulous and totally misbegotten... Kids won't get the references, and they won't get the jokes. Adults, other than film geeks, won't have the patience."(See all of David Hiltbrand's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 358 words, 10/05/12
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...delightful... brims with self-parody, social satire, horror, nostalgia, wit and emotional insight, with Burton keeping all the plates spinning."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 501 words, 10/05/12
Kerry Lengel, Arizona Republic: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a haphazard assemblage of well-aged source materials jolted back to life with new technology, but it isn't quite as sophisticated as one might hope."(See all of Kerry Lengel's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 512 words, 10/05/12
Ty Burr, Boston Globe: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...simple yet immensely pleasurable... scary, but then it's funny, and, finally, it's moving... Burton has created a literal 'Young Frankenstein,' and . . . it's alive."(See all of Ty Burr's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 962 words, 10/05/12
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...the character design is full of terrific touches... the black-and-white photography perfectly evokes the creepy old classics."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 493 words, 10/05/12
Amy Biancolli, San Francisco Chronicle: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...pure, retro-cinematic joy... good fun, a visual feast for pie-eyed Burton fans - and a terrifically warped reminder of just how freaky a PG film can be."(See all of Amy Biancolli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 358 words, 10/05/12
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a little creepier and darker than the original short, but with its heart mostly intact.... older kids, horror-movie buffs and Burton fans will likely enjoy this oddly gentle tale..."(See all of Moira Macdonald's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 415 words, 10/05/12
Marc Mohan, Portland Oregonian: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a fairly pedestrian story... [but] if one kid who sees it goes home and demands to watch another movie featuring a giant turtle, it will have done its job."(See all of Marc Mohan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 460 words, 10/05/12
Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: VERY GOOD(cg) "...the macabre elements are sugar-coated enough for kids, while the stop-motion peril is paced like a '50s creepshow rather than a millennial shocker."(See all of Joe Williams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 374 words, 10/05/12
Steve Persall, Tampa Bay Times: EXCELLENT(cg) "...stitched together with love and a bit raggedy... there are Burton's signature touches throughout, moments both sweet and sick at the same time..."(See all of Steve Persall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 433 words, 10/05/12
Tom Long, Detroit News: EXCELLENT(cg) "...the best thing Burton has done in years... may just be a wacky horror cartoon, but it's an awfully good wacky horror cartoon. Frighteningly good, you might say."(See all of Tom Long's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 522 words, 10/05/12
Chris Packham, Village Voice/LA Weekly: VERY GOOD "...evocation of 1950's suburbia is rendered and lit with realism and understatement, all the better to contrast with the very Tim Burton-y character designs."(See all of Chris Packham's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 823 words, 10/03/12
Katey Rich, Cinema Blend: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...suggests a lot of interesting directions it doesn't follow, a rambunctious caper that feels more and more hollow the further you step away from it."(See all of Katey Rich's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 543 words, 10/03/12
Peter Keough, Boston Phoenix: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Burton feels the kid's horror, but also shares his morbid curiosity, the kind that makes you want to poke a carcass with a stick... all the kids are great -- endearing freaks..."(See all of Peter Keough's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 343 words, 10/04/12
Tasha Robinson, AV Club: MODERATE(cg) "...the director seems to care more about past films than his cast cares about their present.... for more than half its length, it doesn't particularly feel like a film itself."(See all of Tasha Robinson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 660 words, 10/04/12
Lesley Smith, Pop Matters: WEAK(cg) "Dull and lackluster storytelling is forgivable: marginalizing and humiliating in a children's movie those who look or sound different is not."(See all of Lesley Smith's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 670 words, 10/05/12
Inkoo Kang, Movieline: EXCELLENT(cg) "The frank simplicity of 'Frankenweenie' is crucial to its success, especially compared to the director's overstuffed, convoluted 'Alice' and 'Dark Shadows.' "(See all of Inkoo Kang's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,001 words, 10/05/12
Nick Schager, Slant: WEAK(cg) "...boisterous but disposable... Laughs, unfortunately, are few and far between... overly familiar... comes off far too monochromatically bland."(See all of Nick Schager's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 589 words, 09/29/12
Norman Wilner, Toronto Now: EXCELLENT(cg) "...a gorgeous black-and-white stop-motion feature filled with striking images, smart commentary on the value of intellectual curiosity and devastating emotional beats."(See all of Norman Wilner's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 180 words, 10/04/12
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher: EXCELLENT(cg) "...embodies all those wonderfully weird and humanist Burton attitudes... The sharp, pinchy stylization of the animation lends an additional poignancy..."(See all of MaryAnn Johanson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 673 words, 10/02/12
HIGHBROW PRESS (3 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD "The delights are abundant and real... But while it is fun, it is not nearly strange or original enough to join the undead, monstrous ranks of the classics it adores."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 811 words, 10/05/12
Stephanie Zacharek, NPR: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "Burton half succeeds in making this its own distinctive creature, pieced together from the essential bits of the 29-minute original. But he just doesn't know when to stop..."(See all of Stephanie Zacharek's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 749 words, 10/04/12
Justin Chang, Daily Variety: GOOD "...feels, somewhat fittingly, stitched together from stray narrative parts... the pleasures of this willfully derivative movie are not of surprise but recognition..."(See all of Justin Chang's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 860 words, 09/20/12
Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter: MODERATE "...feels like second-generation photocopies of things Burton has done before.... It all feels pretty rote and empty, drained of the old Burtonjuice."(See all of Todd McCarthy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 588 words, 09/20/12
Emanuel Levy, Cinema 24/7: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...genuinely strange and genuinely moving.... Tim Burton has come up with his most satisfying entertainment in years. It's a relief to see him having this much fun again."(See all of Emanuel Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 743 words, 09/25/12
A.O. Scott, New York Times: GOOD "The delights are abundant and real... But while it is fun, it is not nearly strange or original enough to join the undead, monstrous ranks of the classics it adores."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 811 words, 10/05/12
17.3 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Frankenweenie (2012)'s reviews are separated by an average 17.3 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Frankenweenie (2012) (46 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Frankenweenie (2012)'s reviews cover 88.5% of potential readers (average is 68.0%). Volume:The film's reviews total 25,707 words involume (average is 20,221 words). Length:The film's reviews average 559 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 28.8 Hours Before Release (Norm is 1.3 Release)
Frankenweenie (2012)'s reviews on average broke 28.8 hours before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.3 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Frankenweenie (2012)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Frankenweenie (2012) (46 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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