Disappointing. The 1993 version set the bar and this dark and dreary retelling is a pale by comparison. It looks like the last movie but only on the surface. Like so many films of late it sacrifices story-telling for visual effects (see my review on the absolutely abysmal
"Wrinkle in Time" film). The magic of the garden isn't in discovery and Mary's personal growth, it is made by digital butterflies and oversized plants with vibrant colors (and the place goes on, like, forever ... not so much a garden as a significant portion of the estate). Necessary dialog to connect the dots on relationships is thrown out for lingering shots of unhappy people. Almost everyone is too old. Colin Firth (at 60) feels more like a grandfather than a father. Edan Hayhurst and Dixie Egerickx, in the leads, are well into their teens and it shows. They are world-wise, with no speck of the innocence which makes their lost souls so compelling. Julie Waters, as Mrs. Medlock, is a talent wasted. Her character comes off more as an annoying gnat than a formidable presence. Every important element of the tale has been downgraded, with the new time-period placed inexplicably placed in 1947. The Indian Partition is a compelling moment in history but has nothing to do with the struggles of Mary Lennox. Added to this film is a massive fire and a dog. The only reason for this seems to be giving Colin Firth more screentime and filmmakers who didn't understand the role of the robin who leads Mary to her redemption. Which shows that these filmmakers didn't understand this story at all. Stick to the 1993 version if you want tugs on your heartstrings. This just confuses and bores.
