Sacha Baron Cohen stole the show!

Rating: 4/10 (26 February 2008)

Yep, Sacha Baron Cohen's performance was the sole highlight of an otherwise over-hyped musical that failed to deliver on so many levels.
Johnny Depp's Todd was just a mash of characters he's previously played. There was strong essence of Captain Jack Sparrow and Edward Scissorhands in his portrayal. Also, after their initial introductions, Timothy Spall's, Alan Rickman's and Jayne Wisener's characters were sorely under-used. Far too much focus on Depp and Bonham Carter and yet nothing really bonded or deepened their characters.
Suspenseful, intense scenes involving gore and violence were virtually non-existent. I barely batted an eyelid as Todd took his razors to the throats of his victims. London, as a backdrop, was wasted. Fleet Street felt more like a very small cul-de-sac. Surprisingly for a Tim Burton film, the surroundings didn't feel all that dark and dreary.
Finally, as much as I didn't want it to be, the ending was very predictable and therefore a real let down when it arrived. The movie could have been better executed, but in the end the theatrical cut was dull.