Dark Shadows

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Dark Shadows

PG-13

2012

1h 52m

Comedy

Fantasy

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Popcornmeter

35%

Tomatometer

259 Reviews

46%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

In 18th-century Maine, Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) presides over the town of Collinsport. A rich and powerful playboy, Barnabas seals his own doom when he breaks the heart of a witch named Angelique (Eva Green). Angelique turns Barnabas into a vampire and buries him alive. Two centuries later, Barnabas escapes from his tomb and finds 1972 Collinsport a very different place. His once-grand estate has fallen into ruin, and the dysfunctional remnants of his family have fared little better.

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Critics Consensus

The visuals are top notch but Tim Burton never finds a consistent rhythm, mixing campy jokes and gothic spookiness with less success than other Johnny Depp collaborations.

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J. Hoberman

ARTINFO.com

Feb 25, 2019

Sad to report, the [Tim] Burton opus is an unnecessarily complicated tale involving too many characters, not to mention an unresolved moral conundrum that has us happily rooting for an unapologetic mass serial killer.

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David Thomson

The New Republic

Jun 17, 2013

The only reason to see Dark Shadows is to discover how dire and pointless-how flat-out dreadful-a movie can be even when it has Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Helena Bonham Carter attached to its flimsy pretext.

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David Stratton

The Australian

May 16, 2012

3.5/5

Certainly delivers the goods on several levels without quite rising to the heights to which it aspires.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Aug 4, 2026

2/4

How to explain a career that has largely become a parody of itself?

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Michael Leader

Den of Geek

May 3, 2024

2/5

With its overstuffed script and uncertain direction, Lay The Favourite is unlikely to change Rebecca Hall’s fortunes.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Nov 20, 2022

2/4

Dark Shadows takes the easy way out by lampooning its source material, simplifying its ‘70s setting through parody, and handling most of the characters like comic relief in an overall treatment that’s beneath everyone involved.

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B P

@Bradster69 Sep 13, 2026

Not Bad, but Not My Favorite

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Douglas E

@RT50442544 Sep 9, 2026

Só assisti por causa do elenco, mas acabei me surpreendendo positivamente. Gostei bastante!

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Laura G

@Lala67 Sep 5, 2026

Absolutely tantalizing!! I was tortured by my sisters when the show was out in the 70’s and I didn’t watch this when it came out for that reason….. what a mistake!! This was awesome and I’m so disappointed in its rating!! This movie is WAY UNDERRATED!!!😢 it was the best movie I’ve watched in YEARS!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️

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TheBlackDragon T

@RT11830675 Jul 26, 2026

After seeing some clips of the movie on Tiktok, i went ahead and watched the movie, and it is a good one. classic Tim Burton humour, a stacked cast, the usual suspects of Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, who star in a large amount of burton movies, aswell as a surprise cameo that i really liked, and won't spoil for anyone else who is yet to watch the movie. a beutifull, liguebre take on a redemption story. a well worth movie to watch.

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Charles T

@CharlesGaming1000 Jul 14, 2026

istg all movie that take place back in the day are great All 4 Fear Street movies Swenney Todd Sleepy Hallow Can’t forget Stranger Things And totally killer was hilarious and of course, Jack sparrow

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Patrick N

@RT64710383 May 1, 2026

It was actually a great movie for anyone in the family. Funny with great comic relief, not too scary or sexy, plot twists, and engaging storytelling. Grabbed my attention consistently.

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Tim Burton

Director

Johnny Depp

Barnabas Collins

Michelle Pfeiffer

Elizabeth Collins Stoddard

Helena Bonham Carter

Dr. Julia Hoffman

Eva Green

Angelique Bouchard

Jackie Earle Haley

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Synopsis

In 18th-century Maine, Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) presides over the town of Collinsport. A rich and powerful playboy, Barnabas seals his own doom when he breaks the heart of a witch named Angelique (Eva Green). Angelique turns Barnabas into a vampire and buries him alive. Two centuries later, Barnabas escapes from his tomb and finds 1972 Collinsport a very different place. His once-grand estate has fallen into ruin, and the dysfunctional remnants of his family have fared little better.

Director: Tim Burton
Producer: Tim Burton, Richard D. Zanuck, Graham King, Johnny Depp, Christi Dembrowski, David Kennedy
Screenwriter: Seth Grahame-Smith
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Infinitum Nihil, Warner Bros., GK Films, Zanuck Company
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Comic Horror Violence|Sexual Content|Smoking|Some Drug Use)
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 11, 2012, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 15, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $79.7M
Runtime: 1h 52m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital, Datasat

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