Sweeney Todd Ummm it was good ***(Three Stars) 

What happens when you take a hit Broadway musical and mix it with the dark and gothic humor of  Tim Burton?  Well ladies and gentlemen you get Sweeney Todd:  The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.   At times I felt this film had a touch of Quentin Tarantino, there was so much blood.  The blood was extremely excessive and it was done in such a fake manner. 

Whenever  Tim Burton and Johnny Depp work on the same film it's a success.  In this case I mean success, as to artfully blend creepy, horrific, dark and comedic.  In Sweeney Todd Johnny Depp plays the tortured soul of Sweeney Todd, a man who has lost the love of his life and his daughter only to return a miserable and disturbed man.  Johnny Depp takes this character and adds such depth, creating  a new dimensions of disturbed.  Mrs Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) is the woman who is living in his home when he returns, and together they are the Mr and Miss of Darkness, beautiful, creepy and eerie.  They come to a unique and mutually beneficial arraignment, working beautifully together in every way.

I must make a confession:  I attended this film ready to simply trash it.   I love musicals, however I found the trailers not to be compelling and just simply lackluster.  Yet the movie had a way of sucking me into the story and making me both sympathetic and eager- well I was at least rooting for him to get his target! 

There was a surprise / sandpaper aspect to this film with Signor Adolfo Pirelli (Sacha Baron Cohen.)   You will either love him or he will rub you the wrong way with his cameo.  No matter whether you love him or hate him he does add a much needed element to this film.   

I was a bit irritated that this was a musical and yet they only cast a few actual singers:  Johanna (Jayne Wisener), and Toby (Ed Sanders.)  Both really stood out with their vocal ability.   Even though they had a few endearing moments  Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp) and Mrs Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) barely scraped by with their talk singing.  That being said I would still cast them in these roles for they are so awkwardly disturbing. 

Will you like it..... Ummm Maybe.  I think the more times I see it the more I will like it.  I'm trying to remember if I liked Beetlejuice, the first time I saw it.  Maybe not but every time I see it I appreciate it more and more.  The point is, this movie is most definitely not for everyone.   However if you like the dark and disturbing, or if you just love Tim Burton or the products that come with his favorite actor Johnny Depp, then this film will not disappoint you.