Very Dark Bordering Whimsical

Rating: 9/10 (8 August 2008)

Okay folks, I've been eying a movie for a while and that movie was Sweeney Todd. This film is Depp's and Burton's 6th collaboration together, the others include "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "Corpse Bride", "Sleepy Hallow", "Edward Scissorhands", and "Ed Wood". Burton's style is always wacky and imaginative, and honestly...sometimes fails, say for instance Planet of the Apes and the Batman films. Although I still have yet to see a Burton-Depp film that I haven't appreciated, including this one. -Based on a Broadway play the film stars Johnny Depp as Sweeney Todd, Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett, and Alan Rickman as Judge Turpin. The setup is this: A man by the name of Benjamen Barker has everything in the world including a wife and child. A jealous judge falsely accuses Ben and he is exiled to Austrailia for 15 years. When Ben returns 15 years later as Sweeney Todd he wants revenge on everyone involved by slitting their throats and hiding their bodies in meat pies to be sold by Mrs. Lovett. -I quite enjoyed myself, but found Burton's style a little different.than usual. The film shows whimsy with a dark side, a really dark side. Even for a Burton film whose main character is a murderous barber bent on revenge, it can really creep you out. The songs are all really fun and charming, while the film itself carries a great storyline about how revenge effects one's life, a tragedy. Also Depp and Carter create quite a fun dynamic and Alan Rickman is a really messed up villain. Killing people is one thing, but the crap he does is just mean. If you don't mind pools of blood squirting everywhere, the film features fun songs with a great story. A dark (probably Burton's darkest) bordering charming and whimsical is a match made in heaven...or hell. Pick this one up on DVD the first day it comes out, definitely worth the twenty some bucks.