Mischief, mischief....

Rating: 10/10 (6 January 2013)

Benjamin Barker is married to Lucy and they have a child, Johanna. The beauty of Lucy attracts the attention of the corrupt Judge Turpin, who falsely accuses the barber of a crime that he did not commit and abuses Lucy later after gaining custody of her.
After fifteen years in exile, Benjamin returns to London under the new identity of Sweeney Todd, seeking revenge against Turpin.
He meets widow Mrs. Lovett who is the owner of a pie shop who tells him that Lucy swallowed arsenic many years ago, and Turpin assigned himself tutor of Johanna.
He opens a barber shop above her store, initiating a crime rampage against those who made him suffer and lose his beloved family.....
Firstly, in my opinion, this is the greatest musical ever made, and by far Burtons greatest achievement.
And it's down to being one of the most beautiful and detailed works in a very long time. If you can get over that awful CGI in the opening credits, the film draws you in and doesn't let go until the final act is over.
It does take more than one viewing to really appreciate the whole movie, because so much is going on throughout.
The lyrics are so heartfelt and solemn, and you learn more about Todd's assumed loss with every song, but the fact that he meets his wife and daughter during the film makes his story all the more sad and shows how twisted he has become with his vengeance.
Depp is great as the titular character, and I could as far as to say he has never been better, or maybe it's because after those awful Pirate movies, it was just refreshing to see him not over act.
The rest of the cast are brilliant and costume and set design are also marvellous.
This film is on my all time top 25, and seeing as I usually despise musicals, it's saying a lot.
See it and weep.