A magical mystery or a terrible disaster?

There are two different ways to look at the new “Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children” movie: the good and the bad.

The movie itself was a great combination of mystery and fantasy. Director, Tim Burton, did a fantastic job on the way the film turned out. The scenes looked great and parts of the film were word-for-word with the book (something every book lover enjoys seeing in a movie). The actors of the film were almost perfect for the job. However, Jake’s (Asa Butterfield) love interest was switched compared to the book (by Ransom Riggs). Emma (Ella Purnell) was not a firey girl, as portrayed in the novel; instead she switched peculiarities with Olive (Lauren McCrostie), the girl who was lighter than air. The chemistry between the two in the book worked well, however, the way it was written in the book was just as good--maybe better. The other children in the story were great; Enoch’s (Finlay MacMillan) attitude towards Jake was a great contrast to everyone else’s excitement, the twins (Joseph and Thomas Odwell) gave a fun feeling to the otherwise creepy looking costumes, and Millard (Cameron King) was a fun little kid to follow around--even though you couldn’t see him.

The Hollows were definitely creatures that came from the mind of Tim Burton. The slenderman looking arms and eyeless faces were fantastically-nightmarish. The wights were great as well, their bright white eyes definitely got the audience's attention.

However, the movie did stray from the book and some ways. In the book, Jake is taken as a prisoner by Emma and taken to the house; whereas in the movie, he finds the house and explores it and the others bring him to the house willingly. In my opinion, the way that Emma and Jake meet in the book is better and gives more of an understanding of the character (since Emma is not suppose to be sugar and spice and everything nice.) Also, in the movie the hollows become wights by eating the eyes of a peculiar; in the book they had to eats their souls through the soles of their feet, which was more clever and funny. I can see where Tim Burton was going with it though, he wanted it to be more vivid and clear what the hollows were doing. The final thing that was changed in the movie was how it ended. Compared to the book, they took it a step farther; they most likely did this so if the movie flops they have a good closer.

All-in-all, the movie was a great representation of an extremely well written novel. Anyone who loves fantasy and a good keep-you-on-the-end-of-your-seat film, I suggest going to see this. The peculiar children definitely lived up to their potential and Miss Peregrine is ready for you.