Movie, 2016

Beautiful looking Gothic adventure, featuring themes of outsider children, magical powers and the struggles against darkness and evil. All very Tim Burton territory, but put together a little awkwardly, so that while personal fights and relationships feature heavily, they’re a little undone by all the special powers of each of the peculiar children of the title. The result is a little flat and while undeniably coming together in places, feels as if it drifts, particularly when an otherwise splendidly made-up and evil uber-baddy (played by Samuel L Jackson) bursts into the picture. Some great parts in the film, and Eva Green is superb, but the film doesn’t quite come together as a satisfying whole.