Have been not familiar with popular books on which the movie is based I was not exactly sure what expect to from the movie and to my great surprise I quite liked it. Surprisingly excellent and stunning on a visual level the movie has lots of appealing for both children and adults it was one of the best high-budgeted film I've seen in recent memories.
From a very beginning we came into a very strange and rather gloomy and surreal world. The story begins when three Baudelaire children, become orphans when they parents died in a fire that destroyed their home. After such an unfortunate event they are taken to they closest relative count Olaf and since then their unfortunate adventures begin. The children are fourteen years old Violet, twelve years old Klaus and infant Sunny. They are smart and fearless, they always support each other and believe that there is always something, there is always a way. Despite living in rather strange world and many less than ordinary situations, they are real children, though every one is extraordinary in a different way, and they have real feelings and emotions, they make real decisions and always care about each other.
The story despite being rather dark is satirical and positively unusual and funnier than I could expect with incredibly soft and suitable Jude Law's narration, which is never (on the contrary to most of movies when narration is an important part of storytelling) annoying or overused.
Even if Jim Carrey's involvement sometimes was too strong and he stole the show, the main heroes are Emily Browning and Liam Aiken who as I believe were equally good in their parts. This time I have to agree with the director who said that they were very suitable for playing those characters. At the same time I like and respect Brad Silberling's approach and what is the most important that the movie did not turn into something too dark, too silly, too satirical, too stylish or too perceptive. There is always a sense or proportion and common sense. The decorations, costumes and make-up are excellent all the way and deserve many good words. Without such hard work, it would be simply impossible to create so strong on visual level movie with numerous memorable and capturing my imagination scenes. The movie soundtrack written by Tomas Newman sometimes is dark, sometimes is light and uplifting and it's a very good and suitable supplement to a visual part.
After watching Lemony Snicket's I was disappointed that there is no direct plans of making a sequel, possibly because of less than expected commercial success of the movie. Whatever happens in the next books with our heroes the story is just unfolding in the movie based on the first three books. The connections have been made and there are many secrets yet to be revealed. Most likely, the main problem that the movie has faced was its marketing as a Jim Carrey movie. He is a very stylish actor and his appearance in the movie could attract some viewers while at the same time turn away others. He is excellent playing a very colorful character of count Olaf but as a narrator says this is a story (and rather satirical story) of the three "reasonably attractive orphans" and their struggles to find a place in that rather unusual world. The real stars in the movie are Violet and Klaus with Emily Browning and Liam Aiken who played them. I still don't know is that a perfect adaptation but I think it was a pretty good motion picture. However, despite being very good the movie after watching it I thought that it still lacks something, something hardy perceptible. Maybe because it was the compilation of three books, the story was too rushed and the movie was just a little shorter than it could have been. Finally, the animated titles are very nice and worth your attention.
Grade 8.5 out of 10.
From a very beginning we came into a very strange and rather gloomy and surreal world. The story begins when three Baudelaire children, become orphans when they parents died in a fire that destroyed their home. After such an unfortunate event they are taken to they closest relative count Olaf and since then their unfortunate adventures begin. The children are fourteen years old Violet, twelve years old Klaus and infant Sunny. They are smart and fearless, they always support each other and believe that there is always something, there is always a way. Despite living in rather strange world and many less than ordinary situations, they are real children, though every one is extraordinary in a different way, and they have real feelings and emotions, they make real decisions and always care about each other.
The story despite being rather dark is satirical and positively unusual and funnier than I could expect with incredibly soft and suitable Jude Law's narration, which is never (on the contrary to most of movies when narration is an important part of storytelling) annoying or overused.
Even if Jim Carrey's involvement sometimes was too strong and he stole the show, the main heroes are Emily Browning and Liam Aiken who as I believe were equally good in their parts. This time I have to agree with the director who said that they were very suitable for playing those characters. At the same time I like and respect Brad Silberling's approach and what is the most important that the movie did not turn into something too dark, too silly, too satirical, too stylish or too perceptive. There is always a sense or proportion and common sense. The decorations, costumes and make-up are excellent all the way and deserve many good words. Without such hard work, it would be simply impossible to create so strong on visual level movie with numerous memorable and capturing my imagination scenes. The movie soundtrack written by Tomas Newman sometimes is dark, sometimes is light and uplifting and it's a very good and suitable supplement to a visual part.
After watching Lemony Snicket's I was disappointed that there is no direct plans of making a sequel, possibly because of less than expected commercial success of the movie. Whatever happens in the next books with our heroes the story is just unfolding in the movie based on the first three books. The connections have been made and there are many secrets yet to be revealed. Most likely, the main problem that the movie has faced was its marketing as a Jim Carrey movie. He is a very stylish actor and his appearance in the movie could attract some viewers while at the same time turn away others. He is excellent playing a very colorful character of count Olaf but as a narrator says this is a story (and rather satirical story) of the three "reasonably attractive orphans" and their struggles to find a place in that rather unusual world. The real stars in the movie are Violet and Klaus with Emily Browning and Liam Aiken who played them. I still don't know is that a perfect adaptation but I think it was a pretty good motion picture. However, despite being very good the movie after watching it I thought that it still lacks something, something hardy perceptible. Maybe because it was the compilation of three books, the story was too rushed and the movie was just a little shorter than it could have been. Finally, the animated titles are very nice and worth your attention.
Grade 8.5 out of 10.