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Critics Consensus: True terror and typical Disney wholesomeness clash uncomfortably in Something Wicked This Way Comes.
Critic Consensus: True terror and typical Disney wholesomeness clash uncomfortably in Something Wicked This Way Comes.
All Critics (29) | Top Critics (5) | Fresh (17) | Rotten (12) | DVD (1)
Possibilities for a dark, child's view fantasy set in rural America of yore are visible throughout the $20 million production but various elements have not entirely congealed into a unified achievement.
The plot concerns a mysterious carnival outside a small town in the early 1900s that grants the wishes of the town's citizens, with dark consequences.
Ultimately, though, it's an uneasy blend of horror and whimsy, with the allegory being hammered a little too hard for comfort. It's also marred by some dreadfully tacky special effects and set designs.
In its descriptions of autumn days, in its heartfelt conversations between a father and a son, in the unabashed romanticism of its evil carnival and even in the perfect rhythm of its title, this is a horror movie with elegance.
A lively, entertaining tale combining boyishness and grown-up horror in equal measure.
In the end, the storytelling saves the film. Like the book, it's a perfect mash-up of two of Bradbury's favorite themes: small-town life and innocence lost in the wake of something sinister.
It's a reminder of when kids movies were about more than farts and wise-cracking animals, and its visuals retain their power to unsettle and unnerve.
Book-based '80s movie about an evil carnival is scary.
Even amidst readily apparent imperfections, "Wicked" still holds a melancholy grip. That's because its supernatural elements are really but a grace note to the symphony of its everyday drama, whose elegant, elegiac qualities have diminished little.
Along with The Watcher in the Woods, it may be Disney's only honest-to-God effort to tell us a horror story.
The property was snapped up by Disney, which promptly sucked the life out of it, turning it into a scrubbed and innocuous coming-of-age tale. Too bad.
WICKED needs to be viewed as a different kind of film
In the age of slasher horror and torture porn this tale of a traveling carnival that's trade is misfortune seems light, but still is resonant for it's moral lessons. Perhaps the best Ray Bradbury tale on film, all ominous and creepy, and better meant for adolescents.
Super Reviewer
I'm sure Something Wicked This Way Comes would have worked on me had I seen it at the proper age, but unfortunately I didn't. The film isn't altogether a mess. It's directed by Jack Clayton, has a score from James Horner, and features both Pam Grier and Jonathan Pryce in leading roles. What's not to love? Well it has a couple of annoying child actors in it for starters. Second, the meat of the story doesn't kick in until toward the end of the second act. It definitely gets dark, but not quite as wicked as its title promises. It feels more family-friendly than anything, and I think that's its major weakness. It has plenty going for it, but not enough for something really memorable or captivating. Worth a rent, but not much else I'm afraid.
Cute movie in the company of "The Lady in White" and "Stand By Me". Buddies deal with a mysterious carnival that visits town. I was expecting a little more wicked... but it is more family friendly than horror.
Very dark. Very disturbing. I think Disney was very depressed in the 80's. Something Wicked This Way Comes is a mixed bag of brilliance and boredom. When it tells the story of the young protagonists it is slow and doesn't seem to be building up to anything. When we finally get to the carnival, things liven up. Pryce is amazing in his role as Mr. Dark. Charming, sinister and very intimidating. The film touches on deep issues such as regret, acceptance and the fear of growing old. We see many characters past their prime. The aged beauty queen, the crippled sports athlete etc. We see how things become better, but at a cost. Robards is a strong emotional anchor between the world of the children and that of the carnival. Another fantastic Disney death here as well. It's a wonderful tale, but probably best for adults and older kids.
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