Review of Sweeney Todd

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, based on a Broadway musical, is another dark and morbidly humorous Tim Burton project. Set in London, the story centers around a man named Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp), a barber who once lived a happy life with a beautiful wife and daughter. Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman), who desired Todd’s wife, sent him away and destroyed his family. Now, fifteen years later, Todd has returned to London to reclaim his daughter and get revenge. Along with the help of Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), Todd goes on a killing spree and forms a plan to help him destroy his ultimate target, Judge Turpin.

The film is well acted but loses ground during the rather monotonous musical numbers. There is not enough flair to keep the audience engaged through the limp solos and the songs are more idle redundancy than modes of progression. The play probably would have adapted better had it not remained a musical on screen. Also, Tim Burton’s project hovers uncertainly somewhere between a Disney movie, a horror film, and a John Waters production. There is too much direct gore, too few menacing undertones, and an almost ridiculous montage of blood spraying out of slit necks while Todd sings another solo number.

Despite the occasionally campy effects of the story, the film is well directed, and will certainly be enjoyable for any fans of Tim Burton or Johnny Depp’s more whimsical work. The musical aspect aside, Sweeney Todd is recognizable as a solid film and, if nothing else, a change of pace from current movies.