Not sure I can muster enough enthusiasm to write a full review for this one. If truth be told I've never been much of a Tim Burton fan. His Gothic sensibilities just don't gel with my own and I've not out and out enjoyed any of his films since Ed Wood.This is the archetypal Tim Burton film. Dark lighting, tortured main character, a touch of the fantastical, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, handsome visuals, etc. Much of that is all well and good but the main problem with Sweeney Todd is that it's a musical. And worse than that it's a musical with lousy music. The songs are dreadful. All of them. I couldn't even sing one now if I tried and I only saw it two days ago. You have to at least have some memorable songs in a musical but there a none here. Zip. There's one amusing line in one song - a line about piss in a scene that features Sacha Baron Cohen - easily the best thing in the film - but it's far too little enjoyment in a film that could have done with a heck of a lot more humour. I'm not the world's greatest fan of musicals granted but I do appreciate them if they're good. I really didn't think this was.
Obviously it is not a bad film. I'm not sure Tim Burton is capable of that. He's too talented: the visuals alone are award-worthy and pretty much always are with Burton. Just as much effort must go into creating the look of a film as in the story-telling so he certainly deserves credit for presentation. But I really was bored by the story and I think I'd have walked out of had I not been stuck in the middle of a row so I can't give this a good grade. However, I suspect if you like Burton you'll love this.
C-
