OK – first off.. WOW.. I personally loved this movie but, you know – it’s Tim Burton and Depp. The same people who brought us Corpse Bride, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow and Edward Scissorhands. All – in my estimation – great movies. But, to be completely fair, it’s either hit or miss. You’ll either love it or hate it. I have to be objective since I’m supposedly some sort of journalist..
Acting was beyond superb. You can’t expect anything less though from this line-up! Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat and Talladega Nights), Johnny Depp (do I even HAVE to run off some inane credits?), Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman (Galaxy Quest, Dogma) and Timothy Spall you got one hell of acting cred.
A lot of the talent assembled here have worked with Burton many times.. and with each other. Take Rickman, Carter and Spall.. we’re talking Harry Potter fame here! Rickman as Snape, Carter as Belatrix Lestrange and Spall as Wormtail. Their acting credits are longer than my arms combined and that’s individually.
But this isn’t Harry Potter or Ed Wood.. this is Sweeny Todd. A grim, macabre story about loss, revenge and never forgetting a damn thing anyone ever did to you. Mr. Barker was a respected barber until a judge took fancy of his beautiful wife and him arrested and imprisoned in a foreign land for 15 years. Mr. Barker returns to be renamed as Sweeny Todd – a shadow of himself with one thing on his mind – revenge. His wife was dead and his daughter taken as the ward of the judge in which he intends to marry.
I only like two musicals.. before I saw this – it was one. The other you ask? RENT.
This is NOT something for your children to see – not by any means whatsoever. It is bloody – gross.. despite its dark and brooding humor that, quite frankly, only the British may get.
The music was good. The actual singing leaves much to be desired, but you have to keep in mind that the performers in this film aren’t professional stage performers and, if they have done stage, weren’t really in musicals. But the visuals absolutely stunning – it’s what Burton does best – bring out the artistic side in everyone who is working with him be it actor, prop guy or the caterer.
Sweeny Todd is hit or miss with audiences. You will either die over it or hate it with a passion. My girlfriend is the latter but I could help but to snicker and laugh at the goings on while others cringed but, I am after all, a bit touched in the noggin.
I firmly give this 8/10 AND would be the pick, in my lame opinion, for musical trophy winner during the awards season.
—————————
For More Information Visit:
—————————
http://www.sweeneytoddmovie.com
