Personally, I think that a film pitting 19th century rationalism against a genuine supernatural threat could have been interesting.

I can't say it worked in "Sleepy Hollow". The first time I saw it I kept expecting the Scooby-Doo Reveal, where Crane pulls the mask off the Horseman to reveal some character we know and explains all his tricks. I'm getting the same feeling with this repeat viewing, even though I know it isn't coming, but I don't suppose Tim Burton approves of the triumph of rationalism.