Another Burton masterpiece.

Rating: 10/10 (13 January 2008)

A Burton work in the truest sense. Sure it's an adaptation but it feels like something he actually created and his direction is flawless. It's filled with everything he brings to his best films; dark, poetic beauty and aesthetically gorgeous but haunting visuals. His style is at an all time high as he perfectly crafts this dreary London and all of the characters within it (the costume design is also some of the best I've ever seen). All of the songs are so phenomenal combining vocal power and intensity with wonderfully unique and fun rhythm, while having sometimes hilarious and always dark lyrics.
The performances all combine to be one of my favorite ensembles of the year. Depp is as good as ever. His raspy voice is perfect for the vengeful, murder-driven mind of Sweeney Todd. Likewise, Helena Bonham Carter's exhausted voice is the perfect embodiment of Mrs. Lovett's internal anguish while her adorable appearance is so cute. She was absolutely perfect for this role (just as Depp was for Todd) and perfectly captures the love that Lovett has for Sweeney, which makes the ending that much more devastating. The rest of the cast is exceptional. Rickman and Spall have a lot of fun with their characters. Jamie Bower and Laura Kelly bring some of the best vocals I've ever heard. But the real surprise of the film was the young Ed Sanders who creates one of the most sympathetic and warm characters I've seen in quite a while. The power of his voice is truly stunning. Of course Sacha Baron Cohen is also there and Burton took the best approach possible with him. Cohen is funny in the time that he's there, but Burton was wise and gave him the axe (erm, knife) before he was on screen long enough to become unbearably annoying.
Of course behind every film I love, there is a story that I adore. On the surface, basically none of the characters are likable but somehow the story makes Todd and Lovett two of the most sympathetic characters I've seen in quite sometime. It makes their actions perfectly understandable, however absurd and sinful they are. I was behind Todd every step of the way and wanted him to succeed in every aspect of his murderous plot. A phenomenal film in every way that truly lived up to my original expectations.