Stylish and macabre musical that effortlessly entertains

Rating: 9/10 (19 January 2008)

Tim Burton is a master of style and he brings all of his experience and talent to bear here. Supported by brilliant performances and impressive music, Burton's "Sweeney Todd" is a really fine piece of cinematic entertainment.
It is a masterclass from Burton as a director. He toys with the audience's feelings, sympathies and ideals, all the while immersing them in world that is grim, unforgiving and twisted. He shocks and entertains and creates humour out of horror. The film looks fantastic, makes you laugh and is pumped with violence and shock-horror. The make-up and the costume are brilliantly monochrome, but the Gothic design of the film as a whole is ingenious, all, ultimately, down to Burton's skill and imagination. From the bloody title sequence to the bloody end, Burton is always in control and never puts a foot wrong.
The story of a wronged man's descent into madness and murder is a classic fable that requires a central performance that has to be entirely believable and Burton gets this from Johnny Depp who is, quite simply, superb. His performance remains human, even through Todd's darkest moments, and this is crucial, as an inhuman Todd loses all sympathy. Depp holds that sympathy. He is pitch-perfect and every shot that focuses on him is filled with interest.
Depp is brilliantly supported, chiefly by Bonham Carter who is excellent and has tangible chemistry with Depp, both of whom eek out humour at any opportunity. Then there are the trio of established English thesps, Rickman, Spall and Baron Cohen. Rickman is a convincing villain, though you get the sense that his usual venom is somewhat subdued, though he is still entertaining. Timothy Spall is chillingly creepy and Baron Cohen is hilarious in his small but memorable role. But mention must be made of the young Ed Sanders, as the workhouse boy who has a difficult role which he pulls off extremely well.
All of them sing well, with Sondheim's music, beautiful and engrossing, filtering into the film effortlessly. Some of them sing brilliantly (Depp and Bonham Carter especially), bringing humour or emotion to the songs whenever required, which is essential. The music is also brilliantly orchestrated, emphasising the tone.
All of these elements build up the brilliant climax in this wonderful, macabre and entertaining piece of work; more than solid, darkly comic and pretty satisfying fare. I urge you to see it  not for the squeamish, but utterly enjoyable.