Did you ever watch a movie or read a book which characters have some kind of superpowers, and they are just kind of enjoying their life with their power and get on with it?
No?
Yeah, I bet so.
You can fly? Some villains are out there to beat you. You can levitate things with your stare? Some secret organization is determined to put you behind bars. You can turn back time? There’s someone important you have to save within inches of your own life.
And so on and so on.
There has never been a story which goes ‘There’s a girl who can be invisible. She spends her spare time going to movie theater to watch movies for free and stalking her crush naked. And that’s how she continues to have ordinary life despite everything.’
No.
In stories, when you’re extraordinary, it seems guaranteed that you’ll have someone who hound you down.
“Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” goes along the same line.
Before a brief review about this movie, I’ll do something a bit more fun: a rank of the children’s peculiarities, started from the ones I DON’T wish to have, to the ones that maybe nice after all, minus the 24/7 death threat. It has been quite some time since I last done a ranking =)
Level: No, thanks
1. Jacob Portman
Peculiarity: able to see monsters.
As a main character, you’d think Jacob will have a more prominent peculiarity. But no, his peculiarity is so indistinct that Jacob himself never realized he had it before he met Miss Peregrine.
Even in the real world, there are some people who have so called gift to be able to see supernatural creatures.
To which I really have to say, I’m really glad I don’t have such peculiarity. The world is crowded enough with our own commonly visible kind.
If not being able to see this will get me killed someday, then so be it.
2. Hugh Apiston
Peculiarity: stores bees inside his body and can command them when they are released.
The good thing is Hugh will be able to produce honey as much as he likes? But at cost that he has to wear net when eating so that no bees escape and bother around? Uggh, maybe Hugh is not bothered, but no thanks for me.
3. The Twins
Peculiarity: turning whoever looks at them to stone.
OMG I won’t wish turning anybody into stones, not even those who has annoyed me the most. At times like this I really congratulate my self for being such a sweet, kindhearted girl XD
4. Claire Densmore
Peculiarity: mouth at the back of her head
Why would anyone wants an extra mouth at the back of their head? What would they use it for? Pity for these kids, sometimes the peculiarity is not some kind of oohh aahh-ing power, but just pure weirdness.
Level: Ummm if I have to??
1. Enoch O’Connor
Peculiarity: bring to life unanimated objects for a limited time with hearts from other creatures.
Enoch seems to entertain himself plenty with this ability, and so does Olive, who has a crush on him. For me, bring back something from death is totally meaningless, but at least you can have an army of undeads when more dangerous monsters are out for your eyeballs.
2. Horace Somnusson
Peculiarity: having prophetic dreams and projects it.
I’ve seen enough stories which the characters seen things happens in the future, trying so hard to prevent them from happening, and ended up making them indeed happen. I don’t want to be able to see into the future. Live in the now is what I say, just make your best effort and pray.
3. Millard Nullings
Peculiarity: invisibility.
Ha! You might think with invisibility Millard would rank higher. But the drawback is, Millard cannot choose when to be invisible, he is perpetually invisible. He leads a functional life because he lives among other peculiars who are aware of and understand him. Otherwise, I think being invisible and thus cannot express yourself to others or socialize, is a very lonely and empty life.
Level: Kinda nice??
1. Emma Bloom
Peculiarity: being lighter than air, able to manipulate air.
Ummmm being able to float around cannot be a bad thing??
2. Bronwyn & Victor Bruntley
Peculiarity: incredible strength.
Must be useful for all kind of things.
3.Olive Abroholos
Peculiarity: control over fire and can manipulate it in her hands, shape it and throw it.
Cool! Or should I say–hot!
Level: Yes, please!
1. Fiona Frauenfeld
Peculiarity: affinity for plants and can make them grow or die.
I’d love to have it. My late mom had so called light hands for gardening, she could make anything grow. I apparently have none of that gene and no passion for growing plants my self. Like anyone, I do love to see greenery, though. How fun it’d be to be able to grow your own crop and produce your own food?
2. Miss Peregrine
Peculiarity: can create time loop and transform to bird
I only watched the movie and didn’t read the book at all, so I might not fully understand how this time loop thing works. But, the idea of living in the same day, everyday–forever, honestly sounds like a lot of fun and comfortable. Sure, everything around you happens the same way all over again. But YOU can do different activities everyday. Considering we basically do the same predictable things everyday, only to suddenly realize that time has passed considerably, time loop sounds like a wistful chance to try new things everyday and not afraid of losing time.
Plus, you can transform into a bird and fly. How awesome is it?
Overall, “Miss Peregrine” reminds me of “Interstellar”, in the sense that each set of scenes is interesting enough, but ultimately, the movie failed to show what it was they’re trying to bring out.
‘A group of children with peculiarities who tries to escape enemy who want to eat their eyeballs’ is a concept, not a story. A story will engage and convey message. A successful story will leave audience interested, intrigued, and cared. Sometimes, the audience already know that they’re expecting a happy ending. But they care about how the happy ending is going to be achieved.
“Miss Peregrine” has some pretty scenes, but it stopped there. “There’s this assortment of weird children”, was probably the only thing that has been successfully translated to the screen. All others were not, which I think was why this movie completely weirded the audiences out.
It’s a shame because, you see, Miss Peregrine is one woman who has her eyebrow game at the top level XD
Score: 6.5 of 10
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