Sweeney Todd Review

Sweeney Todd: The newest Tim Burton movie guarantees only one thing…..a new Johnny Depp movie. Their sixth collaboration – Sweeney Todd, is based on the popular musical. The story is dark and sinister with some twisted humor, what else would you expect from Burton/Depp. Set in Victorian London, Sweeney Todd, once a family man and a barber was wrongfully imprisoned by a menacing judge who was enamored by Todd's beautiful wife. After Todd is released from prison he resurfaces in London. He befriends Mrs. Lovett who serves “meat pies” in a café below his newly opened barber shop. Together they come up with a heinous plan to not only get revenge, but to use their victims in a creative…..um… “tasty” way. Burton did a great job of translating this musical for the big screen. I give huge thumbs up to the look of the film – from the sets and lighting to the costumes and the make-up. Similar to recent Tarantino and Rodriguez films, Burton does not shy away from using mass amounts of fake blood which often sprays from the jugular of Todd's victims. The songs are a little different than most other musicals as there are no sweeping memorable songs, but rather very edgy/humorous lyrics that move the plot along. In my mind Helena Bonham Carter (Mrs. Lovett) steals the show. She has the funniest lines, but she also plays the part so perfectly that it would be hard to envision anyone else playing Mrs. Lovett. Sacha Baron Cohen pops up as a rival barber and is hilarious during his small time on screen. Where I thought the film failed was the story itself. It may make a great musical, but I did not feel there was enough substance to span the almost two hour runtime. This is a movie to have fun with….well, at least for the sick minded people out there.
* * * or Grade: B-
If This Movie had Parents They would be: Barbershop & Kill Bill

With a runtime of 116 minutes
This film is rated R