"Sweeney Todd" Reviews: Bloody Wonderful

"Sweeney Todd" officially bowed in New York Monday night (scroll down for pictures),and the critics love it. Tim Burton's film adaption of the musical, stars Johnny Depp (who sings and dances) as the demon barber, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman and Sacha Baron Cohen. One thing that may hurt the film, is the nonstop gore and gurgling blood throughout the film.

Variety writes:

Both sharp and fleet, "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" proves a satisfying screen version of Stephen Sondheim's landmark 1979 theatrical musical. Where much could have gone wrong, things have turned out uniformly right thanks to highly focused direction by Tim Burton, expert screw-tightening by scenarist John Logan, and haunted and musically adept lead performances from Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. Assembled artistic combo assures the film will reap by far the biggest audience to see a pure Sondheim musical, although just how big depends on the upscale crowd's tolerance for buckets of blood, and the degree to which the masses stay away due to the whiff of the highbrow.

And the Hollywood Reporter loved the film as well:

The musical numbers ooze with Sondheim's audacious wit and scathing lyrics. A lullaby conveys menace. A waltz celebrates conspiracy. Cynicism runs through all the songs' social critique.

The blood juxtaposed to the music is highly unsettling. It runs contrary to expectations. Burton pushes this gore into his audiences' faces so as to feel the madness and the destructive fury of Sweeney's obsession. Teaming with Depp, his long-time alter ego, Burton makes Sweeney a smoldering dark pit of fury and hate that consumes itself. With his sturdy acting and surprisingly good voice, Depp is a Sweeney Todd for the ages.

Meanwhile, Fox News's Roger Friedman called it his favorite movie of the year:

I told you last week about Johnny Depp's Oscar-certain performance as the crazy barber who cuts people's throats while waiting to avenge himself on his enemies.

What maybe I didn't make clear is that Helena Bonham Carter is a delight as Mrs. Lovett, who turns Sweeney's victims into meat pies. She is acerbic, sarcastic, sexy and she can sing. She may come from behind and out run the two potential Best Actress front runners, Marion Cotillard ("La Vie En Rose") and Julie Christie ("Away From Her").

The other performance not to be missed is Sacha Baron Cohen, who sheds his Borat/Ali G persona and literally steals the movie as Pirelli, the faux Italian snake oil salesman who confronts Sweeney and tries to blackmail him with horrendous results.

"Sweeney Tood" opens Decemeber 21.

Comments

[Zilpha]

And I have to say that, as a singer/actor, there's nothing I HATE more than leads whose voices are dubbed in! If you can't sing the part in a MUSICAL that's practically an opera, you shouldn't have it. I'm not thrilled with Depp's voice, but he looks to have the intensity needed for the role. And it would be ghastly if his voice was dubbed! Also, as an alto, I sympathize with the bass's complaint of changing the keys. The contrast between anthony and todd is effective and might be lessened in this film version if it weren't for the fact that Burton is directing and Depp's acting. So I think there'll be contrast enough. (hope, hope!)

[loki]

I havent seen much from Deep that I didnt like, and he's managed to keep his private life , mostly private. I think it kind of ads to the mystic. But what I want to know is who tossed the picture of Skeletor in here?? Though looking better than in the past, Richards at least now looks like he is coming back from the dead, and not a permanent fixture of it.

[GeoNorth]

When Johnny Depp hit the scene in the late 80's he was saddled with teenage heart throb image. He immediately set out to over come that debilitating condition by acting and singing in Cry Baby with John Waters. Everybody said he was nuts to do that, but he pulled it off.

Depp has become one of the great actors of our time.

[sisterdebmac]

I don't know why anyone's surprised Johnny can sing. He orginially moved to LA all those years ago with his band to try to make it big in music. It wasn't till his buddy Nic Cage suggested he try acting that he even considered it a possibility. He wanted to be a rock star. What shocks me is that it took THIS LONG for him to find a musical to star in.

Go Johnny Go!

[TRichards]

I can't wait for this movie. It was produced locally some years ago at the Producing Guild where there were some terrific performances by unknowns (i.e., out of this area). It was SO much better than the Angela Langsbury version that occasionally shows up. The local Mrs. Lovett was an absolute delight.

It's not an easy piece of music to carry off. That people best known for their acting apparently have (if one can believe the reviews) is just more reinforcement of my observation that so many top actors have more talent than we ever get to see. I recall a movie in which Sean Penn turned in some of the most incredible guitar playing I've heard.

Who knew?

From Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy to the casts of Moulin Rouge and Chicago, some very talented individuals have shown yet more facets than their normal fare permits them to reveal.

Oh, I do hope I don't end up getting disappointed by overly gimmicky presentations. This musical is wonderfully dark and -- as with anything Sondheim touches -- wonderfully written.

Don't screw it up, Burton! (Sounds as though you perhaps haven't.)

[CologneCitizen]

Tim Burton is one of the better American directors. From Scissorhands to Corpse Bride or Big Fish, always professional filmmaking with lots of fantasy. All of his films are truly entertaining. IMDB.com is a good source for checking out in case you may have missed some of what he has done.

[deedrdo]

i'll just squint thru the gore and hope to enjoy the ride. i've been looking forward to this for a long time.

[eman]

i am so sick of tim burton-

when will everyone see that the emperor has no clothes- HE STINKS!!! all his movies SUCK!!!

(except mars attack)

[workingboy]

Who is the homeless guy in the bottom picture?

[Rrhain]

But Sweeney's a bass! I've been looking at the trailers and I hear Depp is his reedy tenor trying to hit the intesity of "Epiphany," and it just isn't working. Maybe he can act his way through it, and I will definitely go and see it, but it irks me that one of the great bari/bass parts in musical theatre (and there aren't many) has been flipped into yet another freaking tenor.

[tnrc75]

Looks like a great film. Can't wait!!

[RumiSouth]

There's a hole in the world like a great black pit/
and the vermin of the world inhabit it/
and its morals aren't worth what a pin can spit/
and it goes by the name of London.

[mojaveblue]

Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, Simply Magic!

[RedWhiteandBrooklyn]

Johnny Depp is an incredibly talented actor and I'm not a bit surprised that he's done a grand job of portraying Sweeny Todd. He could probably play Rosa Parks and have us believing him!

[BlueBoomer]

GOD!...HOW ABSOLUTELY SCRUMPTIOUS JOHNNY DEPP IS!.
I COULD JUST EAT HIM UP!...YUM-M-M!