The best translation of a Broadway musical to film, ever

Rating: 10/10 (21 December 2007)

The best translation of a Broadway musical to film, ever The film differs on many points from the brilliant original stage version--most noticeably the absences of choral numbers and the running metatheatrical commentaries of the Ballad of Sweeney Todd. Yet the film perfectly captures the spirit of Sondhiem's ferocious masterpiece and presents it in a film, not a filmed play. Tim Burton weaves together the music and an equally expressive visual style to create the film of his career. From the devilish opening credits to the final image, the film astounds, entrances, mortifies, and entertains like nothing else that has hit the screens in a very long time. Yes, it is graphically gruesome. When Sweeney dispatches his victims, we clearly see their instant transformation into meat. What happens after the razor frequently is more disturbing than the juicy slice. The film also contains a chilling undercurrent of violence directed at children. The younger characters in this film, Johanna, Antony, and especially Toby, are played by very young actors--in fact, Toby is just a child (which adds historical accuracy and unnerving queasiness to his character).
Sounds pretty grim. But the film is a spectacular entertainment. It's wickedly funny, visually breathtaking, and filled with excellent performances by every single actor who appears on screen. Everyone, not just Depp (who gives the performance of his life with his eyes in one moment, when he asks "How about a shave?") soars in this effort.
This has been a great year for film. Eastern Promises, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, Gone Baby Gone, The Assassination of Jesse James . . ., Michael Clayton, and American Gangster all share a place beside The Departed as great films. But this twisted, bloody meditation on the consuming nature of revenge goes up there with the best of the best.