Peter Travers of Rolling Stone called it a restoration of "originality and daring to the Halloween genre. This dazzling mix of fun and fright also explodes the notion that animation is kid stuff... It's 74 minutes of timeless movie magic." James Berardinelli stated "'The Nightmare Before Christmas' has something to offer just about everyone. For the kids, it's a fantasy celebrating two holidays. For the adults, it's an opportunity to experience some light entertainment while marveling at how adept Hollywood has become at these techniques. There are songs, laughs, and a little romance. In short, 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' does what it intends to: entertain." Desson Thomson of The Washington Post enjoyed stylistic features in common with Oscar Wilde, German Expressionism, the Brothers Grimm and 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'. Roger Ebert, who mainly was not enthusiastic over Tim Burton's previous films, gave a highly positive review for 'Nightmare'. Ebert believed the film's visual effects were as revolutionary as Star Wars, taking into account that 'Nightmare' was "filled with imagination that carries us into a new world".
