Tim Burton's version of hit Broadway musical Sweeney Todd is a blood-spattered mixture of love, death, revenge, incest and gore.
With an all-star cast featuring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham-Carter, Alan Rickman and with a cameo appearance from Sacha Baron-Cohen, this film does not fail to shock and horrify. But it's also entertaining and the songs are memorable.
Burton is no stranger to the gothic style of film; it is much like his previous films Edward Scissorhands' and The Corpse Bride' and shows the gloominess of the Victorian era, when health and hygiene were not top priorities.
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I eagerly anticipated the release of Sweeney Todd since seeing the trailer just before the New Year and it did not disappoint. The darkness of the scenes mirrored the mood of the main character as he sought revenge for his family being taken away from him by the evil Judge Turpin played by Alan Rickman.
What is unusual about this film is that you can't help feeling sympathetic towards Sweeney Todd, the killer because he probably would not have turned out that way had he still had his family. He initially sets out to get revenge on the people who wronged him (the Judge and the Beadle, played by Timothy Spall).
However, I was confused as to why he murders many of his other victims in the barber's chair, as it is not explained to the audience - in song or in dialogue. Perhaps this shows his deteriorating mental state as Todd longs for a Judge Turpin meat pie.
Although Johnny Depp is a great actor, he risks becoming typecast in such gothic-type roles. Nevertheless, this is a must-see for horror, musical and Johnny Depp fans alike.
The real tragedy of film lies in the twist at the end, which makes the murders seem even more senseless than before. The ending could even form the basis of a Sweeney Todd 2...
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