Steven Rea of "The Philadelphia Inquirer" gave the film three and a half stars out of four, saying "Tim Burton's "Corpse Bride" is easily the best stop-motion animated necrophiliac musical romantic comedy of all time. It is also just simply, wonderful: a morbid, merry tale of true love that dazzles the eyes and delights the soul." Bill Muller of "The Arizona Republic" gave the film four out of five stars, saying ""Corpse Bride" is a delightful mix of strange goings-on and imaginatively crafted puppetry, a wild ride through Burton's chaotic, splendidly original world." Michael Booth of "The Denver Post" gave the film three and a half stars out of four, saying ""Corpse Bride" will win your heart, if it doesn't rip it out of your chest first." Terry Lawson of the "Detroit Free Press" gave the film three out of four stars, saying "There's a happy Halloween in store even for children who aren't allowed to trick or treat, and it's courtesy of Tim Burton's animated "Corpse Bride"." Bruce Westbrook of "The Houston Chronicle" gave the film three and a half stars out of four, saying "Amazingly fluid and drop-dead gorgeous, Tim Burton's "Corpse Bride" is the best-looking, stop-motion animation film ever." Rene Rodriguez of the "Miami Herald" gave the film two and a half stars out of four, saying ""Corpse Bride" suffers from the same problem that has plagued Burton's recent live-action films: for all its formidable razzle-dazzle, it doesn't engage the heart." Colin Covert of the "Star Tribune" gave the film three and a half stars out of four, saying "This vibrantly imaginative mix of horror and humor puts the f-u-n in funeral."