Guest reviews: Sweeney Todd (dig Capt)
See below for all guest reviews of this film. Please note that any views expressed are not those views held by ODEON.
I always love a good meat pie
Reviewer: Gymreject
Date: 10/05/2008
I am one of those people that would rather go to the dentist and get a route canal than seat through a stage musical or any stage play. I was expecting the worst of this film but what I saw was a great film that all involved should be proud of.
Worth a look!
Reviewer: Nixxy
Date: 27/03/2008
Perhaps a late review considering I saw the film in its opening month, but Sweeny is definitely still worth seeing.
Considering the macabre nature of the movie ("people pies"), the songs are pretty humourous and are tunefully, tastefully done much of the time by much of the cast (although I would agree that "Johanna" does get irritating after a while).
Helena Bonham Carter is particularly brilliant as the fiesty but gentle devotee of Sweeny, child actor Ed Sanders has charm, appeal and a pitch-perfect voice, and all actors in general deliver much enthusiasm to their roles.
Disappointingly, however, Rickman and Depp were hopelessly mediocre. Renowned for playing Snape in Harry Potter and Sparrow in POTC respectively, both struggled to shake off the shackles of their roles - occassionally Depp would lend a swagger to his walk or a curious accent, and Rickman was stuck being the "potions master" with his trademark sneer.
That aside, the rest of the casts' acting and performing, the silver-esque cinematics, and Burton's trademark "gore" balanced the film out to be perfectly enjoyable. Sweeny may have its faults but it is darkly beautiful and as a musical, highly entertaining. It's definitely worth a look either as something different, or even for die-hard horror fans.
Considering the macabre nature of the movie ("people pies"), the songs are pretty humourous and are tunefully, tastefully done much of the time by much of the cast (although I would agree that "Johanna" does get irritating after a while).
Helena Bonham Carter is particularly brilliant as the fiesty but gentle devotee of Sweeny, child actor Ed Sanders has charm, appeal and a pitch-perfect voice, and all actors in general deliver much enthusiasm to their roles.
Disappointingly, however, Rickman and Depp were hopelessly mediocre. Renowned for playing Snape in Harry Potter and Sparrow in POTC respectively, both struggled to shake off the shackles of their roles - occassionally Depp would lend a swagger to his walk or a curious accent, and Rickman was stuck being the "potions master" with his trademark sneer.
That aside, the rest of the casts' acting and performing, the silver-esque cinematics, and Burton's trademark "gore" balanced the film out to be perfectly enjoyable. Sweeny may have its faults but it is darkly beautiful and as a musical, highly entertaining. It's definitely worth a look either as something different, or even for die-hard horror fans.
Disappointing
Reviewer: The Edda
Date: 16/03/2008
This film is typical of Tim Burton: an overemphasis on atmosphere at the expense of just about everything else.
I like horror films. I like gore. I like (or at least, have no problem with) musicals. And the idea of a horror-themed musical was intriguing, not off-putting. But neither aspect functions well in Sweeney Todd. The gore is laughably extreme (and I mean that in a bad way) and any kind of suspense nonexistent. The singing is not at all bad, and Depp in particular has a powerful voice, but the songs are eye-scratchingly repetitive and tuneless. 'Johanna' in particular was astonishingly awful: were I ever to meet its creator, I might just whip up some razor blades myself.
As for plot, this film is distinctly lacking. It does what it says on the tin: psychopathic barber opens shop, kills off competition, makes pies. Intense. Where plot developments *do* occur, they are predictable and lacklustre; where they don't, another half-hour long song is pulled in to plug the gap.
I hesitated from one star because the gore was enough to put me in hysterics and the odd scene here and there was enough to capture my interest. Otherwise, to be brutally honest, I very nearly walked out.
Alas for overadvertising. Do not see this film.
I like horror films. I like gore. I like (or at least, have no problem with) musicals. And the idea of a horror-themed musical was intriguing, not off-putting. But neither aspect functions well in Sweeney Todd. The gore is laughably extreme (and I mean that in a bad way) and any kind of suspense nonexistent. The singing is not at all bad, and Depp in particular has a powerful voice, but the songs are eye-scratchingly repetitive and tuneless. 'Johanna' in particular was astonishingly awful: were I ever to meet its creator, I might just whip up some razor blades myself.
As for plot, this film is distinctly lacking. It does what it says on the tin: psychopathic barber opens shop, kills off competition, makes pies. Intense. Where plot developments *do* occur, they are predictable and lacklustre; where they don't, another half-hour long song is pulled in to plug the gap.
I hesitated from one star because the gore was enough to put me in hysterics and the odd scene here and there was enough to capture my interest. Otherwise, to be brutally honest, I very nearly walked out.
Alas for overadvertising. Do not see this film.
