A fine dark musical with a touch of levity

Rating: 8/10 (5 October 2008)

Tim Burton's interpretation of Stephen Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" tells the story of a murderous barber out for revenge on the judge who sent him away for a crime he didn't commit in order to steal his wife and child. The story is based on an anonymously published 'penny dreadful' from 1846-47 titled "The String of Pearls".
The cast is a pretty good one which includes a couple of Burton regulars, namely Johnny Depp & Helena Bonham Carter. I'm not crazy about Depp's singing but I thought that Carter was perfect for the part. Alan Rickman & Timothy Spall were well cast in villainous roles though their singing is rather limited. Also of note, Sacha Baron Cohen has an interesting minor role as a rival barber. As for the other actors, such as Jamie Campbell Bower & Jayne Wisener, their singing abilities suggest more of a musical background than the stars.
The story is an interesting revenge tale that deftly mixes dark comedy and tragedy. Burton was unsparing with the blood and produced a body count matching most horror flicks. I found the music to be hit or miss, though that seems to be mostly due to a lack of refinement on the part of most of the actors. I wouldn't say that any of the singing was bad but there were certainly at least a few songs that were unremarkable. On the flip side of the coin, there were also a few particularly memorable songs as well, such as Mrs. Lovett's wistful rendition of "By the Sea".
Burton's direction is distinctive as always and he manages to capture the setting and spirit of the story admirably. The musical elements may be imperfect but the entire package makes for an attractive, memorable film. Certainly recommended for fans of musicals and it should also serve as a pretty good introduction for those who think that musicals are 'uncool'.