Rated: R
Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall
Directed by: Tim Burton

• Official Site

Story, acting and cinematography shines within the grisly blood of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street it's deliciously macabre. College and high school students, playgoers, film buffs and most all adults will enjoy this little ditty from the dark and dreary beginning to its diabolical ending. Most identified as a musical on Broadway, the film of the hit show transfers nicely to the big screen.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street tells the sordid tale of Benjamin Parker (Depp, and also plays Todd), a prosperous barber in London who gets targeted for treachery by the prominent Judge Turpin (Rickman), who wants to have Parker's beautiful wife and child for his own.

Returning to London after serving 15 years for a crime he did not commit, Todd is filled with the need for revenge. He meets the middle-aged widow Mrs. Lovett (Carter) who, with little convincing, makes a pact with Todd to do the crooked Judge in. When the Judge slips out of Todd's hands during an attempt to cut his throat, Mrs. Lovett convinces Todd to join her in a more diabolical scheme that will benefit them both.

The vocals sung by Depp and Carter are both wonderful and highly entertaining. The two never fail at keeping to the original storyline while perfectly depicting their vengeful characters as they plot retribution and conduct their gory business.

The film might have been too dark except for the comical intrusion of Signor Adolfo Pirelli (Cohen), an Italian barber who sets up business in London and puts a damper on Todd's plans. During one of the funniest scenes, the laughs roll in as the two barbers have a very comical shaving duel.

Burton does an excellent job of directing the action and keeping the pace of the musical on the money. Guiding the fine cinematography down the dark London Fleet Street is an incredible accomplishment as well. The goings on in Mrs. Lovett's restaurant and the demonic barbershop are fantastically and morbidly depicted by Burton's strong directorial hand, and the scenes leave a wicked lasting impression. Burton accomplishes intertwining the side love story with the main plot, setting up some of the major twists that give the film its bizarre ending.

Although this review may seem quite harmless to youngsters, I highly recommend that they do not attend. The realistically ghastly killings and the nonchalant way they are committed, may be a little too traumatizing for the very young.

FINAL ANALYSIS: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street translates wonderfully to the screen, however, you may not want to eat a big meal before going to see it.

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hickcrazy1   |2007-12-22 13:34:04 Johnny Depp....yesssssssssssss! Reply 0   0

Anonymous   |2007-12-22 13:32:38 Johnny Depp ...and he even sings! What a guy! Reply 0   0

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."