Can't Compare to the Original

Rating: 5/10 (23 April 2008)

It sounded like a good idea. Considering his reputation, one would think that Tim Burton would be the perfect for the film adaption of a musical starring a serial killer. And while the film stays true to the themes of Stephen Sondheim's brilliant work, it lacks the energy of its operatic predecessor. Ultimately, this film is a terrible bore.
First off, did Helena Bonham Carter honestly think she good fill the shoes of Angela Lansbury? Apparently not, because she doesn't even make the effort. The wonderful thing about Lansbury's performance was that shat her endearing energetic performance actually made the character lovable in a twisted sort of way. Carter's Mrs. Lovett is subdued and dronish, mumbling her way the movie barely cracking a smile. Ultimately she eliminates everything appealing about the character.
As for Johnny Depp, as talented as he is, this definitely was not his best performance. He too lacks his predecessor's energy, although it seems to work better for him. It was interesting to see Depp's first foray into the singing world, and while his was impressive for a beginner, he still can't measure up to George Hearn.
Alan Rickman as Judge Turpin would have been brilliant, but overzealous attempts to demonize his character ultimately come across. He character is already obviously depraved, as shown by his role the plot. But Burton sees fit to portray him as a horny, porn-obsessed, pervert which ultimately makes him seem rather ridiculous. One particular scene involving the judge sentencing an eight year old boy to be hanged comes across as completely ludicrous. It was either a silly attempt to emphasize the characters cruelty, or a joke in extremely poor taste. Either way, it makes it very hard to take the character seriously.
In the end, while this film is certainly dark, it falls short of the standard set by Sondheim. It fails to be entertaining, replacing cherry but twisted character with mumbling zombies with hollowed out eyes.