Siraj Syed reviews Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children: Ymbrynes and the Deadly Hollows

Bookish and Burtonish, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children scores on many counts: good casting, wide span, consistent allegorical references and even pace. In print, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children has sold millions of copies, been translated into 40 languages, and has spent more than two years on the New York Times best-seller list. It has also been named one of "100 Young Adult Books to Read in a Lifetime" by Amazon.com. So, had it not been filmed, the obvious question would have been, “Why not?”

Sixteen-year-old Florida resident Jacob "Jake" Portman (Asa Butterfield)’s grand-father Abraham "Abe" Portman (Terrence Stamp), who had been telling him stories about his childhood, battling gruesome monsters and living in a home for unique children headed by the elusive Miss Peregrine, meets a horrific death. Jake discovers that his grandfather's stories are real and factual, sets off on a journey to a remote island off the coast of Wales, along with his father, Franklin (Chris O'Dowd), where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children who once lived here—one of whom was his own grandfather—were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a desolate island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

As he arrives, he is greeted by Miss Peregrine (Eva Green), who explains that they live in a remote home within a time loop. Jake learns that there was another child named Victor Buntley (Louis Davinson) who lived at the home until he was killed by a monstrous creature known as a Hollowgast, or "Hollow", part of a group being led by a man named Mr. Barron (Samuel L. Jackson). Barron, a Wight, is trying to recuperate his controversial experiment (that turned him and his comrades into Wights) again by kidnapping the guardians of Peculiar Children known as "Ymbrynes" (heard as ‘embranes’ on the sound-track), capable of turning into peregrine falcons, such as Miss Peregrine, from their time loops and consuming the eyes of their children, to regain human appearances. At the end of the day, Emma Bloom (Ella Purnell), one of the Peculiar Children (which is an aerokinetic teenager who can manipulate air and create liquid bubbles), who also developed a crush on Jake walks him to the cave from whence he came, just as another Ymbryne, Miss Avocet (Judi Dench), flies into them.

Ransom Riggs is the author of the 2011 book, and here is his intro, in his own words. “For five years, I had a gig as a daily blogger for mentalfloss.com, and I also wrote for their magazine, contributed to a few books they published through Harper Collins, and wrote for a couple of other publications here and there, as well. All of which turned into an opportunity to do some work for a small publisher, who knew my editors at mentalfloss. That was Quirk Books, who asked me if I was interested in writing a book about Sherlock Holmes for them. I jumped at the opportunity. That was The Sherlock Holmes Handbook. Next came Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, born out of my love for vintage photography and Bizarro stories, and I never looked back. I still love movies and I still make short films and one day I will make a feature -- when the time and the material are right. These days, though, I'm loving being a novelist, a photo collector, and an occasional short film-maker. I live in Los Angeles with my wife, the lovely and talented Tahereh Mafi -- who is also a writer, and if you haven't read her lovely and exciting Shatter Me books you're missing out -- and we type and travel and drink tea together and it's really quite wonderful.”

Riggs’ novel has been adapted for the screen by Jane Goldman (X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Kingsman: The Secret Service). Although it is an American novel, the film incarnation is British and continental. Restricting the confrontation scenes to the last quarter of the unfolding is a decision that works for the film, sustaining interest till the end of the 127 minutes it stays on screen. It is an expansion of the Young Adult demographics to a broader, more inclusive canvas, which might is a gamble, worth exploring though.         

Bearing all the insignias of his style, Tim Burton (Batman Returns, Planet of the Apes, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland, Big Eyes) the film manages to re-create the ambience of a modern, young adult novel, with a balanced blend of acting stars and newcomers. He is not swayed by the temptation to let the big names take over, and lets the story dictate the footage allocation. Even in incredible situations, he manages to win over audiences’ suspension of disbelief. Some oversights and continuity issues are noticed; none that cannot be overlooked.

Eva Green (Casino Royale Vesper Lynd, 300: Rise of an Empire, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For) remains evergreen and a headmistress to kill for. Terence Stamp (Superman, Star Wars, Valkyrie) is quietly intense and can easily pass of as a persecuted Jew, as is implied. Judi Dench is probably an indulgent bit of casting. Nevertheless, she is too much of a veteran to get a foot wrong. Asa Butterfield is highly convincing. Ella Purnell as Emma Bloom, puts in an ‘aero-kinetic’ performance.

Samuel L. Jackson as Mr. Barron, the leader of the Wights, is himself, and different, within the confines of villainy. The hair helps in making him stand apart. Also, in a tale full of allegory about Nazis and super-villains, a black man as the despot is an interesting choice. (One of his disguises is the lady psychiatrist, Dr. Golan, who brainwashes the Portmans into setting off on the mission, to help Barron follow them and trace the Peregrine school). Rupert Everett (The Madness of King George, Shakespeare in Love, Shrek sequels) as an ornithologist, another disguise of Mr. Barron's, is passable, with just a couple of scenes. Chris O'Dowd (Festival, Bridesmaids, Thor: The Dark World) has a meaty role, acquitting himself well.

And it’s time now to meet the rest of the Peculiar children.

Lauren McCrostie as Olive Abroholos Elephanta, a pyrokinetic teenager.

Cameron King as Millard Nullings, an invisible boy (who has to around naked, if he does not want to be seen).

Pixie Davies as Bronwyn Buntley, a super-strong child.

Georgia Pemberton as Fiona Frauenfeld, a young girl who can control and maintain plants, and grows huge carrots on demand.

Finlay MacMillan as Enoch O'Connor, a boy who can resurrect those dead and bring to life unanimated objects, for a limited time.

Milo Parker as Hugh Apiston, a boy with bees in his stomach that he can thrust out at will.

Raffiella Chapman as Claire Densmore, a young girl with an extra mouth hidden behind her head, which can be both shocking and a boon.

Hayden Keeler-Stone as Horace Somusson, a boy with prophetic dreams.

Joseph and Thomas Odwell as the Twins, masked twin boys, who are gorgons.

Louis Davison as Victor Buntley, the late brother of Bronwyn Buntley, who died to a Hollow prior to the film.

Incidentally, try and look-up words ending in ‘grine’, or ‘uliar’!

You’ll find only two: peregrine and peculiar. Now if that is not peculiar, what is?

Rating: ***1/2

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV_IhWE4LP0