Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

Beware The Barber--Depp Shines As Sweeney Todd

By Yahoo! Shopping User  May 6, 2008 | 0 out of 1 found this Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) review helpful

Pros: The musical numbers are outstanding. Depp, Rickman, and their co-stars have shown true talent throughout this work.

Cons: The blood and gore is at a level that woudl make even the strongest person sick to his or her stomach. After watching this movie, would anyone even want to actually watch the bonus features regardless of whether on the single or double disc set? The answer here may actually be "no."

Johnny Depp is no stranger to dark movies. After taking on works such as Corpse Bride, Sleepy Hollow, and Edward Scissorhands, Depp is more than accustomed to dark roles. But Sweeney Todd is dark, even for the likes of Depp. This rendition of Sweeney... Todd (it has been done both on stage and in film numerous times), is by far one of the goriest and darkest, which is the sole reason it received an "R" rating. As dark and disturbing as this movie is, it is also a movie that is worthwhile for the general acting. Those who have never seen a musical in person get to see the art of musical theater through this work. Depp's vocals are amazingly impressive throughout every number. And his coordination with his co-stars is spot on. Alan Rickman is stupendous as a villain in this work. Rickman's body of work goes back some ways. But this work truly showed the breadth of his acting ability, along with his singing ability. It is proof that he, like Depp, could easily maintain a succesful career as a broadway actor if movies were no longer an option. Sweeney Todd actually started out as a musical. So having the abilities that they do in this work makes both actors, and their co-stars that much more admirable. Audiences truly see the message of the story throughthe stars' acting simply because of their talent. The message is one of the power of anger and rage. It shows the danger of letting anger and desire for revenge overcome oneself. Benjamin Barker/Sweeney Todd was so overcome by his desire to get revenge on Judge Turpin that it drove him to kill others after a chance encounter. He was so consumed by his hatred that it led him to do some absolutely horrendous acts that will not be mentioned here for the sake of any readers' stomachs. Yes, it gets that bad. One could almost argue that this work is a glimpse into the mind of a sociopath. That being said, it is a very disturbing glimpse, all for the sake of being reunited with his daughter. This leads to quite the unexpected, and equally disturbing ending. The ending in question will not be given away here. For those who have weak stomachs, this work is not recommended. But for those who may be able to watch this with a more open mind, the musical numbers are quite amazing. They do not make up for the blood and gore. But they show just how versatile Johnny Depp, Alan Rickman and their co-stars truly are. They are proof that if the movie careers of Depp, Rickman, and co. ended today, they would still have a very stable, succesful career on stage. Read more Less