In a perfect world Sweeney Todd would be remembered as Burton's masterpiece, his most amazing piece of work.

Rating: 10/10 (2 November 2008)

With a malicious bent a mile wide and a malevolent bounce in its manic step, Sweeney Todd is defiantly sweeping, epic, and strange, which on paper might seem right up Tim Burton's alley, but in execution something far more intimate, beautiful even.
We first see Sweeney Todd (the always amazing Johnny Depp) on a ship with a young man named Anthony (Jamie Campbell Bower) as they make their way to London. We get a first glance of Depp's singing in this opening scene, and surprisingly hes very good. Hes got a rock solid voice, and his voice never cracks or slips. Sweeney has spent 15 long, arduous years in prison, wrongfully accused of killing his wife thanks to Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman), who kidnapped his only daughter and left Todd to suffer. He then meets Mrs. Lovett (the charming Helena Bonham Carter), the owner of "worst meat pie shop in London". Sweeney then sets in motion a plan to take revenge on Turpin.
Be warned, this is a MUSICAL, so expect a lot of singing and music numbers. Honestly, its what makes the movie all the more alluring. By intersecting the musical numbers with the usual Burton flourishes, the film is something different, but wholly Burton the whole way through. Its familiar in a fresh, unique way.
Whats also familiar, yet fresh, is his two stars, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, his apparent muses. This is Depp's 7th collaboration with the director, with this being Bonham's 5th. This is arguably the best for both (yes topping Edward Scissorhands and Big Fish), there's something so entrancing about this film its quite hard to place. Depp and Carter are both amazing, not only acting (which is a no brainer, of course) but in their singing as well. They belt out some great songs throughout the picture and I'm lightly tapping my toes as I type this.
The movie doesn't skimp on the gore, however, and blood fetishists will have fun watching Depp slice and dice unfortunate costumers that happen into his barbershop o' death. The film is relentless and Burton never holds back, ending in such shocking darkness that is far from the fairytale like ending in Scissorhands.
Beetlejuice is considered the quintessential Burton film, Batman his most mainstream, Big Fish and Edward Scissorhands his most poetic, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory his most odd, Planet of the Apes and Mars Attacks! his most self-indulgent, Ed Wood his most ambitious, and Sleepy Hollow somewhere in the middle of it all. In a perfect world Sweeney Todd would be remembered as Burton's masterpiece, his most amazing piece of work.
With thrills and chills in equal measure, incredible supporting performances (including a knockout scene-stealer in Sasha Baron Cohen), great performances and singing on part of the entire cast (including a surprisingly great tenor in Alan Rickman), and surprisingly deep emotional core displayed by the passionate performances by Depp and Carter, Sweeney Todd is one of the most visually sweeping and thoroughly engrossing musical thrillers ever created. One could say its Tim Burton's best film in his long and fruitful career.