Sweeney Todd: Bloody Damn Good Christmas Gift

Rating: 8/10 (31 December 2007)

If you were to talk to people knowledgeable about Tim Burton and Johnny Depp films, most of them would tell you that such movies are often dark and unique in subject matter. However, they would also concede that the movies are normally whimsical and yet not so heavy at the time. "Edward Scissorhands", the tale of an outcast rejected by society? It ends on a somewhat happy note. "Ed Wood", the biopic of one of cinema's worst directors? It glorifies Wood as a legend, not as a failure. "Corpse Bride", the story of a man torn between his love for a living woman and a ghoul? It was rated PG! Perhaps "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" is not the best Burton-Depp collaboration in existence (its up against some formidable siblings: "Corpse Bride", "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", "Sleepy Hollow", "Ed Wood", and "Edward Scissorhands"), but it is the darkest and a generally great movie. As can be expected, Depp takes his character, and truly becomes him. Not only is his acting top-notch, but it's his looks of contempt and fury that perfects his character. Depp doesn't act like Todd; he is Todd.
Depp may be the most noticeable actor of "Sweeney Todd", but the movie also boasts a legion of other high-quality players. Helena Bonham Carter is impressive as Mrs. Lovett, especially considering how she models her character as deluded and foolish. Alan Rickman is villainously heinous as Judge Turpin, and makes his character easy to despise. Sacha Baron Cohen, despite having a limited on-screen presence, stands as one of the highlights when playing the flamboyant Signor Adolfo Pirelli. Timothy Spall as Beadle Bamford is tremendous; everything about him from his dwarfish frame to his sneering face to his naval tone is hideously wonderful. And do not get me started on Ed Sanders, who nearly steals the show with his awe-inspiring talent. Jamie Campbell Bower, Laura Michelle Kelly, and Jayne Wisener round out this incredibly talented cast.
Similar to other Burton films, "Sweeney Todd" utilizes brilliant cinematography to emphasize its singularity. In this case, the imagery drives the point home about how depressing the whole story is: the central location of London is portrayed as cold, hard and callous, a concrete jungle where no sun shines and where a shadow always seems to be cast. However, London's look is completely contrary to the movie's short beach sequence, in which suddenly everything is bright, vibrant, and bursting with sunshine.
What also remains vivid in my mind is the wardrobe and costumes, and how they blend so well with some of the characters. Todd and Mrs. Lovett are twisted creatures, and so they look as such. Turpin is a narcissist, compassionless judge , so his character is covered with drab, unaffectionate colors. Bamford is short and repugnant, and resembles a perverse Mad Hatter. What is most astonishing though is the transformation the Toby character undergoes; he goes from looking like a harmless young man to something much more different later on.I will not give the image away, but it is truly haunting.
The bloodshed of "Sweeney Todd" is the proverbial nail in the coffin, so to speak. In other words, it is what helps Sweeney Todd to be the awesome movie that it is. If you are a gorehound such as myself, then you will be smiling from ear to ear as neck are split open to the tune of beautiful ballads. An efficient amount of the red stuff is used; not too little to disappoint fans of violence, but not too much to be over the top.
Of course, "Sweeney Todd" is a musical, and what would a superb musical be without superb music? Though many of the actors are not professionally trained singers, they all share the same talent, although some more than others. Depp, in particular, can hardly keep himself from exploding with emotion, and he works wonderfully well with Rickman, whose scraggly voice lends itself to a powerful yet elegant tone. Cohen, even with his few lines, is hilarious. However, as previously stated, Sanders is the surprise hit of the film. His lyrical skills will blow you away. The lyrics of "Sweeney Todd" are the work of a maniacal genius, and the score is tragically poignant.
It's a shame that "Sweeney Todd" hasn't become a box office hit because it deserves to be. "Sweeney Todd" is one of the few films that doesn't follow an established formula, and it does so brilliantly. All who worked on "Sweeney Todd" gave cinema patrons a worthy Christmas gift; if only the rest of the country realized that.
RATING: ****/*****