A Must-See Musical!

Rating: Null/10 (15 April 2012)

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is an amazing movie adapted from the famous Broadway musical about the story of Benjamin Barker, a man who was unjustly accused and sent to jail for 15 years. When he returns, he learns that his wife, Lucy, poisoned herself to death and that the evil Judge Turpin has kidnapped his daughter Joanna. Seeking for revenge against the whole world,Benjamin Barker, now under the new name of Sweeney Todd, opens up a barber shop where he uses his razors to assassin all the people who sit down on the barber's chair. Meanwhile, a woman who used to work at a pie shop, Mrs. Lovett, is his assistant, using the dead bodies to make meat pies for her customers. By first reading such a plot, the story may seem really appalling and ruthless. However, the movie brings meaning to the world, and highlights the roles of family, unjustness, good and evil, and harm in society.
In this movie, directed by the imagination of Tim Burton, also director of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice in Wonderland, two of my favourite movies, Johnny Depp plays the role of Benjamin Barker/Sweeney Todd, and Helena Bonham Carter plays the role of Mrs. Lovett. Alan Rickman also stars as the evil Judge Turpin. The acting in this movie is superb by all the stars. Johnny Depp delivers an amazing, incredible role as Sweeney Todd that drives the audience deep into the mind of Sweeney as he acts upon the people he encounters. I absolutely loved his performance! Helena Bonham Carter also delivered a stunning performance as Mrs. Lovett, and I love how she portrayed her character.
The soundtrack in this movie was gorgeous; the songs were all powerful and carried meaning to them.
Even though the movie was based on a musical, I feel that the ending was too tragic to be a perfect movie. Even if Sweeney Todd killed so many people, I didn't want him to die at the end of the film. I was hoping that perhaps he would change his perspective and turn on a new leaf. And to see Mrs. Lovett die as well when she was so loyal to Sweeney Todd was also not a pleasant ending. However, even though I would have preferred a better ending, the ending itself touches upon the different morals portrayed throughout the film.
I would agree that the movie is a little too violent. However, based on the descriptions I read, I actually was expecting it to be worse, but after watching the film, I can say it was not as bad as I expected it to be. However, there are some gruesome scenes that maybe shouldn't have been portrayed in such gruesome detail.
Overall, this was an amazing movie/musical adaptation! I absolutely loved it! 9/10!