Sweeney Todd

Faithful fans of Tim Burton will notice an intriguing bit of self-reference in the opening credits of Sweeney Todd; it's almost identical to the opening of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, with a strange, slightly sinister rain falling on the streets of London. This time, though, it isn't chocolate coating the English city-- it's thick, red blood.

It's a telling reference for a couple of reasons. For one, Sweeney Todd is indeed the most gruesome film from a man renowned for his sense of the grotesque, but it's also quintessential Tim Burton. In addition to the Wonka reference, there are shots that closely mirror scenes from Edward Scissorhands, and the film borrows both its sense of humor and its sense of style from the excellent animated Corpse Bride. And that's to say nothing of the fact that, once again, Burton's film is anchored by stellar work from actors Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter; that the story of a vengeful barber who decapitates his patrons and bakes their corpses into meat pies sounds so much like something Tim Burton would come up with, it's almost hard to believe it's an adaptation of a stage play, not something he cooked up himself; and that, if you didn't know any better, you'd swear the music was composed by Danny Elfman, as it bears much in common with the sly soundtrack from Corpse Bride.

And it's not just the essential Tim Burton-- it's the very best Tim Burton, more confident and assured in its vision, more inspired in its craft than even classics like Ed Wood and Edward Scissorhands. Equal parts macabre comedy, grisly horror story, and extravagant musical, Todd plays to all of the strengths of Burton-- easily one of Hollywood's most sensational stylists. But in some ways, that might have been the film's downfall; if anything, Burton's films often boast a style that isn't quite matched by their substance, but Sweeney Todd is full of enough humor and humanity that it's much more than just a feast for the senses, or even a masterwork of cinematic craft. Though the humor is as dark and as bloody as it gets, it's also surprisingly potent in sinking its teeth into our emotions-- and it has some surprising things to say about the relationship between revenge and justice, and the destructive effects that a blind, misguided love can have.

About 90% musical, Sweeney is a delight in spite of its darkness-- full of laugh-out-loud humor and deliciously twisted horror sequences that will make you squirm. Johnny Depp is perfectly malicious in the title role, and his singing is a perfect match for the character; the biggest surprise, though, is Carter, who does what might be her finest work here, funny and heartbreaking at the same time. Alan Rickman is palpably wicked, and Sacha Baron Cohen brings the lightest and most exaggerated touch to the film, but somehow makes it work.

It's a devilishly clever and remarkably made film, but the squeemish are urged to make note-- as another great filmmaker might say, there will be blood!