Never Forgive! Never Forget – 4 words that sum up this movie perfectly. However I must stick in the obligatory rant:
ITS A MUSICAL people – that’s right, a musical – all singing (thankfully little dancing) – but still a bloody musical (and I do mean bloody).
Set in Victorian London, this is a tale of wrongs to be righted, and ultimately the revenge of man wrongfully imprisoned. Benjamin Barker, had it all – a beautiful wife and precious child, all torn away from him by the wanton lust of Judge Turpin. To say anymore would be to spoil what is a simple storyline, greatly enhanced by the players on the stage (so to speak).
Alan Rickman is fantastic as the pious and somewhat callous judge, yearning for an outlet to his “wanton urges”, while Timothy Spall is equally as odious as Beadle Bamford (Judge Turpin’s side kick. Helena Bonham Carter has boobs – ok she has more then that – her portrayal as Mrs. Lovett is fantastic – leaning from adoration and love of Todd to the cold-heartedness of a business woman out to make a profit.
But for me it is Johnny Depp that shines in this picture. First of all he is, again, fully immersed in the character of Benjamin Barker/Sweeney Todd. At times I sided with the character in his quest for vengeance, but then through it all, Todd is nothing more then a cold hearted murderer, plying his craft and honing his skill until his bloody vengeance can be wrought up Judge Turpin. And it is also his first on screen singing – not that is anything fantastic, but for me its the basic passion and emotion he is able to get across while lost in his own private world full of shiny knives and red, smiling throats.
Yes, some of the killings can be viewed as quite gruesome, but lets face it, when a barber is flitting around your throat with an open razor, it would only takes one moment of doubt, to make you very uncomfortable.
Overall a great film, not fantastic – but for what it is, a musical set in Burton’s gothic vision of Victorian London, it works, and works well.
So he does his own singing?
What’s his voice like?
Michele
Yup his own singing, and its not that bad; reminds me of someone at a karaoke bar, who can hold a tune
I’ve always thought he was very talented, so I guess it’s not much of a surprise