Now c’mon… Tim Burton and Johnny Depp are magic together. Throw in a little Helena Bonham Carter (Fight Club), Alan Rickman (Harry Potter, Dogma), Sascha Baron Cohen (Da Ali G Show, Borat, Bruno) and Jamie Campbell Bower (The Twilight Saga: New Moon) and you have gold.

That said…

I felt slightly let down by Sweeney Todd when the movie ended. Sure the gore was more than expected which was a great bonus and the acting was top notch. The songs were great and Johnny Depp sings better than I was expecting. Helena Bonham Carter doesn’t have the greatest voice, but she tackled the role with vigor and it came across well. Jamie Campbell Bower was the real stand out for me – excellent actor with an incredible voice. The songs were great and it didn’t seem as flamboyant as most musicals are. It was a musical without the over the top theatrics and it worked well. The dark colors used for the costumes, sets and makeup were a perfect fit for a deliciously dark story. It should have been a roaring success.

In the end though, I felt Sweeney Todd was missing something. I can’t say exactly what it was. Perhaps it was nothing more than not being able to meet the ridiculously high expectations I set for it. I’ve watched it several times and I must say my somewhat empty feeling after the first trip through London with Mrs. Lovett and her demented love interest was hasty and unfair. With a more open mind and lowered expectations, I enjoyed Sweeney Todd much, much more.

Quick Review: Sweeney Todd is one of those movies that gets better with repeated viewings. My advice, watch it and then watch it again after a week. You’ll enjoy it much more the second time around – just don’t be surprised when you go back a third time.

Love the movie? Buy the DVD:

Single Disc Edition:
Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Double Disc Edition with Bonus Features:
Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Two-Disc Special Collector’s Edition)