Miss Peregrine’s is a little peculiar

By: Matthew McDonald, Columnist 

For all those who loved the novel “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,” be prepared for an entertaining, yet slightly problematic adaptation. Despite a few issues, the film is still a fun and colorful take on the story.

Following the curious Jacob Portman’s (Asa Butterfield) voyage through one of many a “time loops” stationed throughout the world, the audience travels back in time to visit the secret home of supernaturally-gifted children, led by Miss Alma Peregrine. They can live forever in the same day, but when creatures called Hollowgasts threaten to take them, Jacob must help them evacuate, while keeping them in a time loop, lest time catch up with them.  

“Miss Peregrine’s” is directed by Tim Burton, however it does not seem to align with his signature directing style. This did not seem to be a problem, as the movie is still very well done from a directorial perspective. The varying color schemes help distinguish between and set the tone for the time periods.

I had two large problems with this movie. First, the narrative arc itself was jarring, as it seemed to lack a middle section. The first half is mostly constant exposition, leading right up to the second half, which is essentially 45 minutes of fight scenes. There is no room for Jacob to grow as a character or do much else to affect the world he travels through.

My other main problem was in some of the characters themselves. First, there was an abrupt dip in screen time for Miss Peregrine, who was the most exciting and intriguing character of the movie. The worst part of this movie is the Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Barron, the head of the Hollowgasts, who does not come off scary, but cartoonish, complete with cheesy jokes and smiles. A little more seriousness in the villains and end fights would have made this movie a little more complete.

“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,” resembles a mix between Tim Burton’s “Alice and Wonderland” and the “X-Men” film series. It is very entertaining, with interesting characters and a unique plot, but falls just a little short in its execution. Despite this, Eva Green’s portrayal of Miss Peregrine is amazing. The look of the movie is captivating, and you are never allowed to stop rooting for the children. I do not completely agree with the Rotten Tomatoes rating of 64 percent. If you are a fan of the book, or just looking for an entertaining movie, I would not hesitate to see it. 7/10.

 

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