Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Directed by: Tim Burton
Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen
Running Time: 1h 56min

A match made in horror movie heaven, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, is perhaps the only stage musical that begs for Tim Burton to adapt itself to the big screen. It's hard to call it a risk for him to adapt such dark macabre material, but it is quite a stretch to enter musical territory, even if it is a merry serial killer who sings about the cesspool of London, literally grinding his corpses into a pulp.

So, given the daunting task and risk at hand, it's no wonder Burton called upon two of his most trusted actors, his longtime collaborator and star, Johnny Depp, and the love of his life, Helena Bonham Carter. However, this proved to be an even bigger risk, considering neither had any prior singing experience. Thankfully, and surprisingly, the risk paid off, as the two carry the film wonderfully, seamlessly slipping between dialogue and song. The trust needed to allow all three of these established Hollywood players to stretch their comfort zone must have propelled them to this new found height.

Having never seen the stage play myself, i cannot comment on its adaptation. i was greatly amused and tickled by the lyrical content, and the delivery by all the actors, both in facial expression and musical tone, as it made the mayhem all the merrier. It's odd to have such a demonic lead character straddle the line between hero and horror, but Depp continues what he started with his Captain Jack character that earned him Oscar attention. i would argue that Depp couldn't have done this film without the success of his swaggering rock 'n' roll inspired pirate role, as it requires a similar amount of likable menace. He's a little bit Edward Scissorhands with a Travis Bickle mindset.

Paired with Carter, the two make the oddest screen couple in some time, yet very believable, and steeped with emotional turmoil. All the supporting cast lend themselves memorably, carrying the tunes and the darkness throughout the film. Though the story and set design is extremely dark, there is a bizarrely funny quality to it all, which Burton allows to shine through at times in that lovingly way in which his entire oeuvre of work pays homage to classic horror films. Perhaps the most telling example of this unique combination is when Sacha Baron Cohen and Depp share a shaving showdown that showcases their vocal, comedic, and theatrical ability. The scene is equal parts funny, tense, and musically gifted.

Unlike the deluge of sunshiny, toe tapping smiley musicals we are in the midst of, Sweeney Todd offers us something quite different. A film that is enjoyable while it is repulsive, stylistically brilliant and complex, yet brutally primal and raw in emotional undertone. This is perhaps one of Burton, Depp, and Carter's finest to date. Enjoy, but try not to savour the taste, as it's a little too Soylent for most.

Grade: A-