Corpse Bride Reviews

Every time you see a movie by Tim Burton, you always know it's going to be dark, strange and goofy and 'Corpse Bride' is a great demonstration of Tim Burton's work

Focusing on a young man Victor Van Dort (Johnny Depp) who is about to marry someone he has never met but during rehearsals, he flees and practising in a dark forest, he puts a ring on (what he doesn't know, is) a dead hand, the hand is part of a Corpse Bride (Helena Bonham Carter) who Victor ends up marrying!

'Corpse Bride' is an example of dark animation (like 'South Park' or 'The Nightmare Before Christmas') and features dead characters including a skeleton dog, a green blood filled monster (not sure what the hell he is) and other monsters! It's funny, dark and clever! And I love it!

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride is not unlike Tim Burton's other films. They're dark, a bit creepy, with predictably Burton-esque visuals, and are peppered with bits of macabre humor. It would not be outlandish to merely dismiss Corpse Bride as "just another Burton film." Alas, even though Burton's Gothic film-making formula hasn't changed much, one should not forget that Burton's signature style is one of the things that make his films so appealing. Corpse Bride is no exception.

Set in the Victorian Era, Corpse Bride is about a young man named Victor that is forced by his parents to be wed to a young woman named Victoria, whom he has never even met. However, there's a change in plans when Victor gets into a bizarre mix-up, and accidentally proposes to a corpse named Emily.

This review could quite simply be summed up in a single sentence: If you enjoyed Tim Burton's other efforts, you will likely enjoy this one. The similarities between this film and others by Burton are numerous. And yet, Corpse Bride never feels stale or rehashed.

Corpse Bride focuses on two worlds: The World of the Living, and the World of the Dead. The World of the Living has a grey and white color scheme, to the point where scenes in this world appear to be in black and white. The character designs here are deliciously Burton, and consistently inventive. The satire humor used in these scenes are always successful.

The World of the Dead is supposed to be a more lively environment, but surprisingly, it's actually less interesting and creative than the World of the Living. While some scenes in this world utilize bright colors (giving off a distinctive Día de Muertos vibe), many of the scenes are just filmed with a darker color palette. It's similar to the palette used in the World of the Living, but much less exaggerated, and therefore, less interesting.

In addition, the residents of the World of the Dead are limited to skeletons and occasional corpses, which don't allow for especially interesting character designs.

Despite less than successful contrast, Corpse Bride is still supremely entertaining. There is not a single dull moment, thanks to the always fascinating clay-mation and intriguing story. The characters are likable and funny, and the ending is surprisingly touching.

The voice acting is superb. Johnny Depp's performance as Victor perfectly captures the shy, nervous nature of the character. Emma Watson as Victoria is also excellent- though on a side note, the character itself has an unexpected resemblance to Scarlett Johansson. Helena Bonham Carter is unrecognizable as Emily, and the supporting cast is fantastic. The best performances here come from Tracey Ullman, Paul Whitehouse, Joanna Lumley, Albert Finney, and Christopher Lee.

Danny Elfman's score doesn't explore much new territory compared to other Tim Burton scores, but the Elfman style has become as much a part of the Burton experience as anything else. For what it's worth, Elfman's score is a touch more elegant than his work for other Burton films, likely due to the time period. Elfman also contributed four songs to the picture, all of which are pleasant, but unmemorable.

Entertaining to the last minute, and featuring enchanting animation, Corpse Bride is unabashedly Burton, and I wouldn't want it any other way. It is a bit short at only 77 minutes, and as a result, it leaves one wanting more. But needless to say, this is a good problem to have.

i love this movie is my fav OMG OMG !!! ima go crazy :p LOL no i wish but i really really love this movie :)

Since I'm a huge fan of 'The Nightmare before Christmas', I definitely had high expectations for this one and I was really eager to check it out. Eventually, I thought it was pretty good but I'm afraid it was still nothing amazing. I mean, the whole thing did look gorgeous, absolutely, but I thought that the story was nothing really spellbinding. I mean, I loved the story in 'The Nightmare before Christmas', I thought it was really spellbinding, and the characteres were really fun and interesting, whereas, this time, I didn't care much about the plot or the characters involved. Basically, it was entertaining enough but it felt really just like any other standard Burton story, and I was missing something and expecting more from it. Still, it remains a gorgeous stop-motion feature and it is definitely worth a look, especially if you like the genre or if you are interested in Tim Burton's work.

“Corpse Bride” is a macabre fairy tale musical filled with dancing skeletons, a maggot who serves as the “Corpse Bride” equivalent of Jiminy Cricket, and rollicking musical numbers from ex-Oingo Boingo front man and frequent Tim Burton collaborator, Danny Elfman. But above all else, “Corpse Bride” is an enchanting wild ride through the land of the dead, infused with Tim Burton’s unique brand of wit and humor, and brought to life by the vocal talents of Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Emily Watson.
Burton, co-director Mike Johnson, and screenwriters John August, Caroline Thompson and Pamela Pettler don’t bother burying the fact “Corpse Bride” is all about love. Sure, there are dance numbers and adult-oriented jokes, but the fact that this is actually a moving romantic tale is always kept front and center.

After being attacked and killed while waiting for her fiancée in a dark, scary forest, the Corpse Bride is bound and determined to never, ever be left again. An opportunity for everlasting happiness suddenly presents itself when Victor, a humble, shy, and extremely uncertain of himself groom-to-be wanders into her forest while practicing his wedding vows.

Victor finally gets the lines down pat but soon discovers that’s not necessarily a good thing. The wedding ring he intended to place on his bride-to-be’s finger winds up on the protruding skeletal finger of the Corpse Bride. That act, when taken in concert with Victor’s uttered vows, is enough to pull the Corpse Bride up out of the frozen ground and into Victor’s surprised embraced. Victor may have wanted to get married, but he definitely didn’t want to take a wedding dress-clad skeleton with an eyeball that pops out at the most inopportune times as his wedded wife.

Because “Corpse Bride” is actually a feel-good love story only barely disguised as a gothic horror film, Burton and Co throw in plenty of jokes but never let the mood get too dark. Though I still consider “Corpse Bride” a bit too scary for kids, there were a couple in the preview audience who seemed to really get into the dance numbers and the adorable skeleton dog (it does sound weird but he is a cutie - even without fur).

I love the fact Burton chose to make the land of the dead vibrant and alive while portraying the world inhabited by the living as one of dull colors, gloomy surroundings and repressed people. The dead heads are much more fun and lively than those with still-beating hearts. While the majority of those still living care more about money and material possessions, in the land of the dead friends are loyal and people (read ‘skeletons’) care about what happens to each other.

“Corpse Bride” looks absolutely gorgeous. The colors are crisp and clean and practically leap off the screen. Coming in at around 85 minutes, “Corpse Bride” never drags but instead moves swiftly through the story, delivering laughs along with a sweet message about the power of love.

Tim Burton is immensely talented which he proves yet again with this movie. The characters were really good but the plot could have been better. I couldn't help rooting for the Corpse Bride, she had a certain sweetness. :P

8/10

Tim Burton's always a genius. Great characters and great morals.

I wasn't that keen on this film when I first saw it but after seeing it again, I really liked it. Just like Nightmare Before Christmas and Coraline, Corpse Bride is a fun family film but it can be quite scary for children. It has a few moments when body parts are missing and they sew them back together again. It is like animated comic violence. Corpse Bride is a very dark film that is awesome for adults as well as children. These kind of animated films are absolutely amazing! In fact, they are my favourite kind.


Corpse Bride is Johnny Depp's fifth collaboration with Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter's fourth with Tim Burton. Johnny provides the voice of Victor and Helena provides the voice of the Corpse Bride. Set in aa 19th century European village, Victor, a young man whisked away to the underworld and wed to a mysterious Corpse Bride. Victor inadvertently married the Corpse Bride. Victor's real bride Victoria waits bereft in the land of the living. Though life in the Land of the Dead proves to be a lot more colorful than his strict upbringing, Victor learns that there is nothing in this world ? or the next ? that can keep him away from his one true love. Victor and Corpse Bride look like Johnny and Helena but in animation. I think because of this, it inspired Tim to do drawings for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street of Sweeney and Mrs. Lovett and they look just like them.


This was the second Tim Burton film that I saw just after Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. Despite, I really like both of these films, I wasn't a massive fan of Tim Burton but Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street and Edward Scissorhands changed all that. It is the same kind of animation as Nightmare Before Christmas but this time, Tim directs this one not Henry Selick. Tim Burton managed to release two films on the same year which he has never done before. I want to see Tim do another animated film. Perhaps, not like it about the living and the dead like Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride.


Corpse Bride is a very enjoyable film but isn't as good as Nightmare Before Christmas. Wallace And Gromit In The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit is the best animated film of 2005. Corpse Bride is a fun Tim Burton that is neither one of his best nor one of his worst. It is a very fun film that should be watched by everybody!

Less than two dimensional characters, farcical slapstick musical routines and a storyline that could fit in a single line make this effort unsuitable for anyone over ten. And even so, the juniors would be better served elsewhere.