Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events Review

I'll freely admit that I didn't go to this movie expecting a whole lot. My friend Cookie is a fan of the books and I was more or less going along for support...with a touch of curiousity. I ended up really enjoying the film, largely due to the fact that it didn't dumb itself down for children's sake. As the name would imply, there are many miserable and almost grisly things that happen to the three orphans the story centers around. In fact, I would say that the content actually goes over the heads of the younger crowd and would be more appealing to early teens and beyond. The plot did feel a bit like a series of acts, but since they are covering the span of three books I'll cut them some slack. The story wasn't so disjointed that it was a real problem. Visually the film is outstanding, with sets that look like a melding of The Addams Family and The Nightmare Before Christmas. I'll be curious to see if they make a sequel, as there are still a number of books the film didn't cover. I suppose that all depends on the box office receipts and DVD sales. Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention how great Jim Carrey's performance is- he really is a gifted actor in the right role.

Torrey's Opinion:
5- Strongly Recommend
4- Recommend
3- A Mixed Bag
2- Sub-par
1- Don't Bother

Random Related Fact: During production, Liam Aiken grew four and a half inches, requiring continual adjustments to his costume. By the end of the movie, he is visibly taller than the actress playing his older sister.