“Dark Shadows” is everything you would expect from a Tim Burton/Johnny Depp team up: dark, magical, funny and excellent.

The movie tells that tale of Barnabas Collins (Depp), a boy born into a family of ambitious fisherman in the mid-1700s. His father moves the family from Liverpool, England to Maine to start a fishing business. He is able to build up a rather larger business and builds the small town of Collinsworth, from his success.

Due to this, Barnabas lives a privileged life, spending his early adult years in the family’s mansion. After playing with the feelings of a servant (Eva Green), who happens to be a witch, Barnabas finds true love and she is forced to kill herself by the witches hand. When he tries to kill himself for his love, he is turned into a vampire by the witch and a curse is placed upon him and his family. The townsfolk, fearful of him, burry him alive.

Fast-forward to 1972, where our story actually begins and young Victoria Winters (Bella Heathcote) is making her way to the current Collins Mansion to apply for a job. The same evening of her arrival, Barnabas’s coffin is discovered and he is released into the night.

The rest of the movie follows him as he navigates the new world, takes control of his old mansion and comes face to face with his old foe, the witch.

Visually, the movie is stunning. Beautiful backdrops and dark colors create the perfect scene. The town of Collinsworth is settled seaside giving it a cozy coast town feel. The Collinsworth mansion is breathtaking inside and out, complete with lots of hidden passages.

Depp is flawless in this movie. He portrays a vampire how they should be, dark and powerful, and the old time speech he uses suits his voice and attitude perfectly.

Other standout performances are Carolyn Stoddard (Chloe Grace Moretz) and Elizabeth Collins Stoddard (Michelle Pfeiffer.) Moretz captured perfectly the look and attitude of a teenager in the 70s and Pfeiffer was a scene stealer with her looks and spot-on acting.

Green’s performance was weak, however. Her acting was stiff, and the accent she was going for did not go over well. When she tried to do scary or intimidating facial expressions they were clearly forced and looked strange.

Another issue with the move was the relationship between Depp and his love interest. There was slim courtship and it seemed like they were just forced together.

There was also a plot twist near the end of the movie that seemed forced and out of place.

Aside from these minor setbacks, “Dark Shadows” is the movie for all Depp fans, Burton fans or fans of darker movies.