Sweeney Todd:
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'
Runtime: 116min 14secsTagline: Never Forgive. Never Forget.
Screenplay by: John Logan
Musical Adaptation by: Christopher Bond
Directed by: Tim Burton
Plot Outline:
Based on the hit broadway musical by High Wheeler and Stephen Sondheim, which tells the story of Benjamin Barker.
After hard years in exile for a crime he didn't commit, Benjamin Barker now Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp), returns to London to find his wife dead and his daughter in the hands of the evil Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman).
In his anger, Sweeney goes on a murderous rampage on all London, with the help of Mrs. Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter), he re-opens his barber shop in which he lures his victims in with a charming smile before casually ending their life with a flick of his razor across their neck. But not one man killed, nor ten thousands men can satisfy Sweeney's lust for revenge on those who've caused his years of pain.
Overall Impressions:
So the secret is out .. It's a musical. Your irrational hatred / awkwardness around the idea of it being a musical will have faded away in under 5 minutes, once you get in. There is ample atmosphere to soak in, in addition pure and extreme emotion in each of the characters, the music simply amplifies it. For those of us cultured & who didn't need the above disclaimer .. I apologise & swiftly move on to the nitty gritty of it.
No time is really wasted on getting to the crux of the story here, Benjamin Parker is seen in a flashback that barely lasts any longer than in did in the trailer.. The film is about Sweeney Todd and we are promised he will have his revenge. Don't get me wrong this doesn't mean we don't understand his actions. We do, we can see it in his character and drive. His consistent motivation for one purpose is unrivaled, but it's never that simple, is it?
As we follow his journey from the very outset, returning to the streets of London where he has a past, to the very spot where a past resides, to form his allies and find new foe, to planning the execution, to executing the plan ..give or take a couple of bumps in the ride it is this journey that forms the adhesive compound that keeps us seeking the resolution.
As always we find trust in the Tim Burton / Johnny Depp team-up to form something beyond the normalities of every-day cinema and unlike the last such installment, this one delivers on a shining platter.
I must admit, what surprised me was how even a film of this ilk seems to come off pretty well with encompassing some (dark, but) light-hearted humour, subtle at times, but humour none-the-less. Sacha Baron Cohen's little cameo too was an extra jewel on the crown. Who would have thought he could sing?
Anyway .. as the plot develops, the inevitable killing spree begins and blood is spilled by the bucket load. I had no issue with this, but I could feel it in the crowd that some stomachs were turning. So this'll be the only down-side I'd say to the film if you're squeamish.
There is a lot to be said about how the development of the on-goings impacts each of the central characters, but few words to actually express it. It's all on their faces, or in their eyes. I can't stress enough how each of the performances emotes so perfectly. Helena Bonham Carter in the pre-climax with the child who is attempting to warn her that Sweeney is more than meets the eye is one of many such examples. You can feel what she feels.
The end? I'll skip this part by saying for once, the end doesn't taint or ruin the film (which seems to be a common trend these days).
Overall, I enjoyed it a lot, it has dollops of emotion in the performances to keep you engrossed. I'd definitely recommend it. The only downside [the only reason it's not a green] is that its not for the squeamish, as there is blood (& a lot of it), but otherwise I'd say it's pretty much as awesome as it gets!
I disagree. I didn't like it... it had moments, but it didn't live up to my expectations at all. helena bonham carter looked like a zombie and very rarely did her facial expression even change. her character is supposed to be laugh out loud funny, and i only caught glimpses of what the real Ms Lovett is supposed to be. I thought Johnny Depp was great, he had a much better understanding of his character. My favorite, however, was the young Toby. He was a wonderful surprise. Alan Rickman was sufficiently slimy to totally repulse me. BUT I did have some issue with the gore. It SHOULD have been bloody, it would have been stupid to try to eliminate that aspect... but I felt like it made the gore the main focus. People were feeling THAT in the theatre instead of the twisted devolution of Barker into complete madness. THAT's the most horrific thing in the story, but in the movie you're too grossed out at the body count to catch the point.
I guess being unfamiliar with the story and the characters probably helped me a lot.
I agree Helena Bonham Carter did look like a zombie, but her eyes conveyed a lot, like I pointed out above the interaction with the young boy when he tells her he'll protect her was good. I could see her being flattered and then realising that he needs to be dealt with & it pained her.
Gore-wise, I'll agree with what you've said, it is too in your face perhaps, but I don't think it took away from the devolution of Barker, rather added to it. It visually represented what he'd become capable of. - Grossing us out!
The killing of the Judge was spot on though - Dramatic culmination at it's best!