Tim Burton has outdone himself. Sleepy Hollow is a visually stunning gothic look at Washington Irving's classic tale The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. In a highly fictitious retelling of the legend, Johnny Depp stars as Ichabod Crane as he travels to the small town of Sleepy Hollow to investigate three beheadings. Upon his arrival, he is informed that the heads of the deceased have not been found, as they have been taken - "taken by the headless horseman." Ichabod then sets out on a journey of discovery, intrigue, and romance.

While the story leaves a little to the imagination and some holes to fill, the movie is so visually stunning, it overpowers the rest of the film. The dark, gothic settings that Burton is known for are absolutely beautiful and surreal. The almost lifelike fog and calm riverbanks are simply breathtaking. It takes a little bit of imaginative thinking to take in all of the settings, but it's possible with Burton's masterful direction and the beautiful set design and production.

Adding to the visual beauty of this movie, Johnny Depp turns in one of his best performances of his career. As the tortured Ichabod Crane, Depp masterfully portrays his character as being torn between his past and the present. He tries to rationalize the current dilemma he faces trying to discover who the headless horseman is and realize that it truly isn't a man of flesh and blood. He goes from a man of science to a man of myth and he does so marvelously. The only detraction from the superb acting is that of Christina Ricci. The buxom beauty is unconvincing throughout and her accent seems to fluctuate from scene to scene. It may be that Burton cast her for eye-candy, because she really seems to struggle through the movie. Luckily, she was backed up by Depp and his faithful sidekick Young Masbeth (Marc Pickering) who were able to pick up the slack and turn in 2 great performances.

I'd highly recommend this movie. Tim Burton has outdone himself and created a place where the viewer is drawn into and feels a part of. The settings are stunning and the acting superb. The gothic scenes are beautifully designed and the story is good (except for a slight let-down towards the end). One of Tim Burton's finest, ranking right up there with The Nightmare Before Christmas (one of my all-time favorites).

Genres: Horror, Suspense, Romance
Rated: R
Runtime: 110 minutes
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