Depp at His Darkest, Burton at His Best

Rating: 9/10 (20 January 2009)

I've never seen the actual Sweeney Todd largely because I despise the great majority of musicals excluding Singing in the Rain. However, I decided to give Sweeney Todd a chance because the Burton-Depp duo is rarely set to fail. The darkness of the film is offset by the up-beat music and fast paced lyrics, but the story is actually heightened by the poetic slide from dialog to tune. I don't share the same level of reverence for Burton that others may hold because it is hard to forgive his destruction of the Batman series, but Depp's continued phenomenal presence is that of a god on film. I was impressed with his shift into character as I was of his surprisingly pleasant singing voice. In the knowledge that S. Todd is a villainous Brit, I half expected Captain Jack Sparrow to come about. Depp slapped me with the reality that he is a genius in his art. Depp reminds us that he hit the entertainment industry first as a musician, but the surprise really comes in the realization that he started as a guitarist, not a singer. Then, we have to remember that Depp is not only singing, but he is doing so in an infallible yet false accent. Johnny does not stand alone in the array of talent throughout this film. While the movie would not be the same without Depp, Helena Bonham Carter was more than a supporting role. She was pivotal. She was Mrs. Lovett more than an actress playing a part. If I had a tumor, I would name it Marla Singer; not out of spite, but as a mark of permanent notability. In essence, I found this movie appeasing. It is odd to say considering the amount of disturbing blood shed and deviant behavior throughout, but I can say that Tim Burton's adaptation of a show that I had no true interest in seeing has since become my favorite musical. It is to the point that I will not likely see this show in theater because no performance will top that of Depp and Carter. Leave the kids in the other room, sound check your equipment to make sure you don't miss a note, and enjoy rooting for villains roughing it out with villains. This film is one worth watching several times over just to make sure you absorb all details available.