Sweeney Todd Review

The trailer for Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street makes the film look like a grim tale of revenge directed by the master of the melancholy, Tim Burton. However, the film is a hybrid of The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Kill Bill, and – one of Burton’s previous films – Sleepy Hollow. It embodies Sleepy Hollow through its style, Kill Bill through its depiction of violence, and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg because about 90% of the lines in the movie are sung.

This works to a dazzling effect that will treat the viewer to a film experience unlike any other in recent memory.

The titular character, Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp), is a man named Benjamin Barker, who is sent to prison on a falsified charge because a judge coveted Barker’s wife. Barker, now Todd, returns fifteen years later as a shell of who he once was and thirsty for revenge against Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman). Todd returns to his old haunts to form a partnership with Mrs. Lovett (Helen Bonham Carter), which becomes a twisted collaboration of murder and bakery as they move towards Todd’s ultimate plan against Judge Turpin.

The singing in this film is better than Chicago. While the cast of Chicago had the better voices, the nature of the songs here require a particular realism to them. Depp’s gravely voice, Bonham Carter’s seductive whispers, even Sacha Baron Cohen’s over-the-top opera voice is welcome and greatly satisfying. The songs stick with the audience long after they have left the theatre.

The most engaging element in this movie is Depp. The camera is on him for the majority of the film, but the viewer never tires of him. The make up, the outfits and even his singing make the viewer sympathize with this man’s plight. Years of collaboration has allowed Depp to be comfortable and roam within a character under Burton’s deft and subtle direction. The harrowing portrayal of this man allows Depp to work beyond the role of Captain Jack Sparrow. He is haunting, lustful, and lethal.

The other performances in the film are excellent too. Freddy Highmore and Timothy Spall show up in small roles, while Alan Rickman makes a nice return to villainy. Bonham Carter is whimsical as the want some Mrs. Lovett. She evokes the memory of Angela Lansbury’s heralded Broadway performance.

The gothic, monotone setting is subdued as Burton – per his usual – utilizes a muted color palate to place more emphasis on the character’s faces. The camerawork and set production are also limited in order to keep with the theme of a staged musical.

Though a musical, there is a substantial amount of violence. Blood flows like the Thames, but not in a graphic, sickening fashion. The blood sprays enormous amounts inviting the audience to laugh at the moment’s ridiculousness. This was one of the fantastic parts of the night, as the elderly couple in front of me flinched and winced at this rather comical site. While this aspect may have made marketing this film a difficult task, it offers the audience a chance to view pessimistic reality.

While this film may not be the exact picture that is portrayed in trailer, it is still one of the best films of the year. The film floats along like a dream, as the viewer will leave the theatre singing the songs of the film, wishing that there was more to take in.

When to See It: ASAP