“I know you think I’m crazy, but the bird will tell you everything.”
Based upon the novel written by Ransom Riggs, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is a magical adventure that fits well into the mind and imagination of director Tim Burton. The dark color pallet, mixed with his ability to capture the visual essence of the absurd allows the film to flourish, even if the story itself plays out without much suspense.
The story centers around Jacob, a wholesome young boy who has just discovered a world unto its own, and in it a magical place known as Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Filled with unique (and dare I say, peculiar) characters, the home is a safe haven for those who failed to find their place. And while each holds a rather unusual key trait that sets them apart, they come together to live in harmony.
While none of the children give particularly memorable performances, collectively they help to allow the story to work. Eva Green, as the truly magnificent Miss Peregrine, serves as the cast’s most stable root. Her maturity radiates on the screen as she welcomes Jacob into the home, allowing him to uncover his own uniqueness with time.
Jacob continues to travel back and forth between the two worlds thanks to a loop, a basic device that allows the children to live in peace. There are actually several loops around the world, all of them lead by a headmaster who is identified as an Ymbryne. The trait is specific for their role in the device as they are able to manipulate time. For those residing with Miss Peregrine, their loop is set for September 3, 1940, the day the Germans dropped a bomb on their home in the midst of an air raid. This simple fact helps to place the dark tone of the film, even if the correlation isn’t dissected thoroughly.
Throughout Jacob’s journey we get a handful of inventive moments that allow for an overall appreciation for Burton’s involvement with the picture. While the colors are a bit depressing, the visionary director brings a sense of pure creativity to the forefront, allowing our imagination to wander as we travel to the depths of the ocean and climb aboard a sunken ship, and then later invade an abandoned carnival site to fight off the ferocious hollowgasts.
Burton’s ability to display both horror and violence in a soft, somewhat amicable way is truly remarkable, especially considering the comedic moments that help the story create a balance. The deadly villains are forever on the prowl, regaining their identity by eating the eyes of their victims, most notably children, working to unlock the numerous loops around the world and eventually achieve the power of immortality.
As the film reaches its pivotal third act, the story plays second to the visual effects, and who can blame them. Burton scores high marks for his imaginative approach, even if he does sacrifice the story’s climax for it. The final moments drag on, and while there appears to be some resolution, the story is left open for a follow-up. I’m not fully convinced that Miss Peregrine and her children deserve the sequel treatment, but it would be hard to resist if Burton stays involved.
*This review was originally posted as part of our 2016 Fantastic Fest coverage.
