Review: Casper

Casper opened on May 26, 1995. The Amblin Entertainment film starred Christina Ricci and Bill Pullman. Casper was directed by Brad Silberling, and it was based on the classic cartoon series.

Synopsis:

A large mansion is haunted by a friendly ghost, named Casper, and three mischievous spirits. When a pair of money hungry members of the living learn about a treasure in the mansion, they hire a paranormal expert to remove the pests. The expert brings along his daughter for the job and a relationship between the friendly ghost and young girl begins.

Positives:

• The Casper "romance" is sweet for the most part – but it is also a little disturbing if you think about it in detail.

• The story moves fast and definitely keeps a pace that will appeal to kids.

Negatives:

• There are a lot of unnecessary plot points and characters in Casper. The story is a jumbled mess.

• There are a lot of odd jokes and moments, including a plethora of ill advised cameos. The comedy often goes over the heads of kids, or it is inappropriate for them. The filmmakers often forget who their audience is.

• The design of Casper and the other ghosts never come across as believable. They feel very cartoony, which makes sense for what they are based on, but they don’t blend well with live action.

In Closing:

Casper is an incoherent mess when it comes to story and tone. The film is all over the place, and never really connects as an adult comedy or family film. Its heart seems to be in the right place – but the entire project needed a stronger vision.

Rating: D+