Review by Mari Lynne Rupp
This starred Johnny Depp (Secret Window, Ed Wood) Helena Bonham-Carter (Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, Big Fish) and Alan Rickman (Harry Potter, Dogma), and, I was delighted to see, Timothy Spall (Gothic, Prisoner of Azkaban)
I watch this movie, entirely biased, having seen a theatre production way back when I was still Canadian. It was entirely fabulous. The singing, the acting...The blood!! Finally, a musical for us gorehounds! I eagerly watched as M. Depp lost himself in the character of an incarcerated man returning from Australia, hoping to find out what had become of his beloved wife and beautiful daughter.
The answer is NOT good. The down-trodden, but eager-to-help Mrs. Lovett tells him no good news, his wife took poison, after a traumatic attack, and his daughter is in the custody of the man who convicted and imprisoned him. This sets Mr. Sweeney Todd on a murderous, vengeful rampage, with gruesome yet delicious ends for his victims. Let's just say, this is possibly where the Texas Chainsaw Massacre family got their recipes...
After months of this macabre partnership, secrets are revealed and betrayals are paid back. Set in the down-and-dirty victorian era, this musical hums right along, With Johnny Depp leaving us sighing with fan-girlish delight, as well as shuddering with fear.
Helena Bonham-Carter, while a fabulous actress, has demonstrated biting off more than she can chew, tackling Mrs. Lovett's character as a fledgling to musical theatre. She does give it a good try, and although her notes fall short of song-bird status, she certainly won't make your ears bleed either. (think Sarah Michelle-Gellar in "Once More with Feeling"...Got it? Good.)
Everyone else helps this gory little tale along, and I was quite happy to see Timothy Spall paired off with Alan Rickman as the antagonists in the movie. The same squawking singing voice serves Helena well as she earns her new title as 'scream queen' when she gets her come-uppance later on in the movie. My ONLY problem with this movie...
They don't perform the title song, which was my favorite. Other than that, I give it 8/10. Worth renting, worth owning. For Depp fans, a definite must-see.