2 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
This was never meant to be anything beyond meh, January 9, 2011
Just figure this film as being a family DVD meant for watching with the entire family, and nobody asks any questions because it is so simple and stupid that a two year old could star in the lead role. But some people don't like movies that give them nightmares, and some people don't like lots and lots of nudity or sex, sex, sex, sex. Some people don't want to see blood and guts, mutilations, or decapitations - nor anybody hanging on a meat hook. Some people don't want to see explosions, killing, or odd stuff that can't be logically explained. This movie doesn't have any of that. In fact, if you don't want to see ANY of that type of stuff, and you hate quality acting, this movie is the ideal choice. If you never want to have to use your brain except for breathing and heartbeat in automatic mode, then no worries, this movie will let you stay at that level and still sit in front of the TV while "The Canterville Ghost" is being broadcasted onto the TV screen by the DVD player. Going to sleep while sitting in front of the TV set would actually be better than having to watch this all the way through. If you lost half your brain in a car accident and was injured in a military battle on the other side of your brain so that you only drool and can't speak, you're still able to get all the good there is to be had out of this movie. Even my dad would be thrilled with this movie, not to put too fine a point on it. It is just another example of costumes, sets, and potentially good actors that are given bad scripts, directed poorly, the movie getting edited poorly, and for all the possibilities for something worthwhile, successful effort was applied with enough enthusiasm that this movie sucks more than a Kirby. I actually felt intelligence drain from my brain trying to get down to this level of watching it, and although I watched this DVD to the end of the movie, I'm ashamed I did. There's an hour I could have spent doing ANYTHING else, but wasted instead. It's kind of like making peanut butter cookies with chocolate drops in them, but burning them so black and hard that you have to throw them away. Which wouldn't be as bad if you quit after the first batch, and didn't burn the entire lump of cookie dough; cookie sheet after cookie sheet after cookie sheet - until it was all in the trash. You got the same good out of making those cookies as I did watching this movie. I wonder what connections and relation those people were to the producers and marketers of this DVD, because I know they HAD to have strong ties in there somewhere. Movies like this are not made without a reason. Must have been charity because it's too big of a leap for it to just be a random act of kindness and let those people star in a DVD movie. Movies like this is why most guys refuse to watch the TV channels that carry it. Heck if I want my brain to go numb, I'd rather do it with a couple six packs and half a dozen Jello shots of vodka. But this movie can get the job done if you're out of alternative options. Oscar Wilde wrote this story in 1887 and it has been adapted many, many times with a variety of casts. Although there is symbolism and hidden themes intended to make this story worthwhile, this version not only misses the bull's eye, it doesn't even make it anywhere onto the target. Do yourself a favor and get a different version, with a better cast. Shouldn't be too tough. There are at least eleven versions from 1944 to present day, and this DVD was released in 1990, with Richard Kiley as the ghost. Skip this version, and find one worth your time.
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