Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

When Tim Burton decides to work with Johnny Depp, everyone looks forward to an excellent romp into a quirky and gothic world. The duo have worked previously on Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow and The Corpse Bride. So it’s no surprise that duo’s latest work together, Sweeney Todd, is awesome. But did you know Johnny Depp could sing? Guess Depp and Burton still have a few surprises up their sleeve. Sweeney Todd is the macabre musical tale of how Todd turned into “the Demon Barber of Fleet Street” who “shaved the faces of gentlemen who never thereafter were heard of again.” Todd starts off normal then ends up looking like Edward Scissorhand’s more sadistic older brother after something terrible happens to his family and he gets locked up in jail. He comes out looking for revenge and teams up with Mrs Lovett, someone who makes, uhm, “meat” pies. The movie is deliciously bloody, but the gore comes across as artsy thanks to Burton’s choice to filter everything in dark hues (blue, grey, black and white). If musicals tend to grate you in the belly, give this one a chance, the songs are kept mercifully short and it’s hard to not get swept up by the wealth of eerie imagery. This is not some cheesy musical like The Sound Of Music. In spite of Sweeney Todd’s story unfolding in the whimsical setting of a musical, Depp and the cast’s strong performances (and singing) bring the characters and this tale to gruesome life. Watch out for Sacha Baron Cohen’s small role as a salesman too. He positively steals the screen during his limited screen time. Sweeney Todd is every bit as good as you want it to be. Sometimes it is good to not have any surprises.

Cast Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman Director Tim Burton Runtime 117 mins Open 24 January

Text Adlin Rosli