It's all a bit superficial, but highly entertaining, wickedly funny, and alluring enough to make you want to start reading the books.
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:151
Fresh:107
Rotten:44
Average Rating:6.6/10
Consensus: The film adaptation of the popular books is winning raves for its set design and a wry comic charm that mitigates some morbid images. However, some have panned the film as smug and overcooked.
Rated: PG [See Full Rating] or thematic elements, scary situations and brief language.
Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins
Genre: Childrens
Theatrical Release:17-12-2004
Synopsis: Directed by Brad Siberling, LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS follows the Baudelaire orphans--Violet (Emily Browning), Klaus (Liam Aiken), and baby Sunny (played by twins Kara and... Directed by Brad Siberling, LEMONY SNICKET'S A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS follows the Baudelaire orphans--Violet (Emily Browning), Klaus (Liam Aiken), and baby Sunny (played by twins Kara and Shelby Hoffman)--as they are followed by the wicked Count Olaf (Jim Carrey). A distant relative and an awful actor, Olaf is determined to claim the fortune willed to Violet, Klaus, and Sunny, whose parents died in a mysterious fire. Enigmatic author Lemony Snicket (Jude Law) recounts the adventures of the three children as they change hands from the conniving Olaf to the reptile-loving Uncle Monty (Billy Connolly) to Aunt Josephine (Meryl Steep), who lives in fear of just about everything. An adaptation that condenses the first three books in the series--THE BAD BEGINNING, THE REPTILE ROOM, and THE WIDE WINDOW--into one installment, the film captures the darkly humorous tone of the popular children's novels by Lemony Snicket (AKA Daniel Handler). Carrey clearly has fun with his intentionally over-the-top role as the villain, while the young actors embody their resourceful characters wonderfully. The true star of the film, however, may be the production design of Rick Heinrichs (SLEEPY HOLLOW), which creates a visually stunning world filled with gothic mansions and ramshackle houses. By keeping the heart of the eccentric books intact, A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS proves to be an usually inventive and quirky Hollywood film. [More]
Starring: Jim Carrey, Meryl Streep, Jude Law, Billy Connolly
Starring: Jim Carrey, Meryl Streep, Jude Law, Billy Connolly, Liam Aiken, Kara Hoffman, Shelby Hoffman, Emily Browning, Timothy Spall, Catherine O'Hara, Jane Adams, Jennifer Coolidge, Luis Guzman, Jamie Harris, Craig Ferguson, Cedric the Entertainer, Dustin Hoffman
Director: Brad Siberling
Director: Brad Siberling
Screenwriter: Robert Gordon
Composer: Thomas Newman
Producer: Scott Aversano
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Reviews for Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
If you sit back, relax and just accept it for what it is -- an enjoyable, escapist Gothic pantomime -- you will go home happy.
The main blight on the festivities is that, as always, Hollywood can't resist adding a little uplift.
This is a beautifully designed, impressively directed film with exciting action sequences and terrific comic performances from its cast.
Wonderfully executed, brilliantly cast and almost perfectly Potter-beating. If only it weren't for Jim Carrey...
We can be grateful that the series has given Carrey one of his better vehicles in recent years, and that Carrey has risen to the occasion so well.
...Carrey delivers a broad performance that's more distracting than anything else.
Successful in kicking off a largely amusing and visually engaging franchise.
A sick joke of a film that realizes the best children's entertainment doesn't hide from the bleaker side of life, but plunges into the void and respects kids enough to assume they can handle it.
...recognizes that it’s okay to present scariness, gloominess and sadness, as long as you present strong, pure hearted children whose inherent cleverness cuts through it all.
Not many children’s movies center on recently orphaned children delivered to the home of a homicidal thespian. Then again, not many children’s movies are as good as this one.
'Inteligente, divertida y arriesgada en su propuesta visual y temática, es una aventura que no se pueden perder'
Latest News for Lemony Snicket's A Series of...
May 27, 2009:
Brad Silberling Talks Lemony Snicket Sequel ![]()
Still holding out hope for another "Lemony Snicket" movie? According to director Brad Silberling, "it will probably happen." More...
February 22, 2007:
Critical Consensus: "911" Is A (Mildly Funny) Joke; Count "23" Out
This week at the movies, we've got wacky cops ("Reno 911!: Miami"), numerological tension ("The Number 23," starring Jim Carrey), a rocket man ("The... More...
June 29, 2006:
Critical Consensus: "Superman" And "Devil" Are Certified Fresh
This week's wide releases both involve publishing. In "The Devil Wears Prada," the setting is a fashion magazine, and in "Superman Returns," it's The Daily... More...
April 07, 2006:
"Narnia" Kids Talk Sequels and DVDs
USA Today recently ran a breakdown of what can be found in the new 2-disc Chronicles of Narnia DVD, but when the topic of Narnia 2 (Prince Caspian) came up, the kids among the... More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events at Rotten Tomatoes
- Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events at IGN
- Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

