Depp brings humor, fury and horror all in one package

Rating: 10/10 (21 January 2008)

You have to be an excellent actor to portray all of these emotions simultaneously. The darkness of a Dickens novel is portrayed all too well in this satire on the hideously inhuman practices of 'upper-class' London society with their bacchanalia coinciding with the return of Charles II. Of course, I am biased since Alan Rickman and Johnny Depp are my 2 favorite actors. (Someone who goes to London strictly for the purpose of seeing AR in "Anthony and Cleopatra" HAS to be a fan.) Neither betrayed my faith. I of course long for a movie that will show characters to be both good and bad, as we all are. This opera, for such it was, colors their characters in shades of black and white (or peach, for the beautiful wife that is attacked by the judge). The music is lyrical with words that would put Gilbert and Sullivan to shame. I suggest you buy the score to truly enjoy this movie.
Will it win an Oscar? It should, but the subject matter may prevent it, since corruption in government is now SOP, not something exceptional that the media might uncover. Our corollary for this in the U.S. is all the (mostly) minority 'criminals' being freed as they are found by DNA tests to be innocent of the crimes for which they were convicted. Like the king sending Bathsheba's husband to war so that he can marry Bathsheba, so the judge 'convicts' Depp of a made up crime (although debts themselves were enough to have you jailed back then).
Was the blood necessary to the plot? Yes, since murder isn't clean, it is appropriate to show it for what it is. Just as we brought the Vietnam War to a halt because the media, THEN knowing its duty, showed us the ugly blood and guts of war and we the public responded in revulsion.......so this movie shows you what is TRULY being done. And, as is the case with vigilantes, injustice is the result, as the innocent are carried away on a river of blood along with the guilty.