Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Reviews

by Mark Salisbury

Overall

4.24 of 5 (by 45 users)

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84%

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Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Comparison

Most Helpful
Favorable Review

Not for the faint of heart.

DEC

2007

The Verdict: I am SO glad I saw Sweeney Todd on the big screen! It was so close to the stage play that I could not believe it and the singing was surprisingly good.

Just the Facts: I love the tale of Sweeney Todd and have since I was a kid and went to see the stage production. My dad was a fan...

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a fan of clever plots, into movies that tell a great story

Buggheart
Detroit Rock City, MI

Most Helpful
Critical Review

Way too much singing. Lifeless waste of Johnny Depp's talent.

JAN

2008

Sweeny Todd was overall a dissapointment. I love Johnny Depp. He's a great actor, especially in darker more off-beat roles. So I expected that he would make the movie interesting to watch. Even though I was skeptical of it being a musical, I was willing to overlook that because I thought Depp would save...

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a movie buff, horror fan

redstarr
Fort Smith, AR

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Ratings and Reviews

items/page: 15 | 30 | 50 displaying 1 to 13 of 45 sort by: most helpful | date | rating

helpful
votes

Burton's Todd is a Moving and Intimate Experience

love movie musicals

JAN

2008

I read the first part of an acquaintance's review before I saw the film and had to stop (yes, there be a few spoilers here). But I was thrilled that this extremely opinionated person was throwing out the superlatives left and right.

This is an absolutely beautifully-executed, exquisitely dark and brooding adaptation of the Broadway musical. I'm afraid the gorgeous music and poignancy, power, and creativeness of Stephen Sondheim's lyrics will be lost on many viewers, who will titter, as a few young women did in the audience I sat with, and lose the story that is being told here.

Tim Burton, bless...

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TonyaJ
San Diego, CA

helpful
votes

Well staged and excellently cast

Movie Reviewer, DVD collector, into movies that tell a great story, a fan of clever plots, character-lover, Lover of quirky, unique films

DEC

2007

Tim Burton's excellent retelling of Stephen Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" is dark and macabre - as it should be.

The tale of Sweeney Todd is an old one, and exists in many cultures. A barber, driven mad by the loss of his family, exacts revenge against those who wronged him by cutting their throats as he shaves them.

Sweeney had been transported to Australia on a trumped-up charge after his wife caught the eye of a corrupt judge. He returns to find his wife dead, and his now-teenage daughter living with the judge as his ward. Already unstable due to his unfair banishment,... read full review »

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boliyou
Bartlett, IL

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helpful
votes

Another Great Burton-Depp Copulation

reading non-fiction, a fiction reader, re-reading the classics, a sci-fi buff, love to travel, cost-conscious, appreciative of good service, expecting good, fair service

APR

2008

Last night we got the DVD & it was our after dinner treat. Both my husband & myself just love Tim Burton's creations when mixed with Johnny Depp. Since "Edward Scissorhands" they have brought countless great creations to the screen & oscar talks. They both deserve many....

Never guessing this was a musical which added to the entertainment since singing is fare from a Depp requirement. Also the makeup was the worst for a reason. Just too much owder & pancake on their faces with the black eye shadow used on lids as well as under eye to give that deadly feel, which they were.

Mrs Lovell...

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MacGyver
Cleveland, OH

helpful
votes

A bloody good time

Romance Sap, a lover of quirky unique films, into movies that tell a great story, in love with Johnny Depp, comedy fan, a music lover, love chick flicks

JAN

2008

Admittedly this is not my usual movie type, Johnny Depp or not. However, I am a fan of musicals, and Depp, and Burton. As with many of Burton's projects, it has dark comedy and Depp is brilliant at delivering that type of fare.

I was surprised at how good the singing was, and had no problem with the diction. Because much of the tale and motivation behind Todd's plan of revenge is contained within song, diction is important--so much of plot could otherwise have been lost. It was very well done. The music was "catchy" but not insultingly simple like much of today's "pop" fare. Gee, it had... read full review »

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MoodyWench
Lancaster, OH

helpful
votes

Not for the faint of heart........

reading non-fiction, a fiction reader, an avid reader, re-reading the classics, DVD collector, willing to learn, a movie buff, Likes to be entertained

APR

2008

I really do think this was a very different movie then most thought it would be. Johnny Depp blew me away with not only his acting (as always) but his singing (he did come to L.A. to start a band and ended up ... well you see). I've heard people say its sad and morbid and sick and such but if you were to look at the over all picture what better way to end it???? Could they have gotten back what they had? Could they turn back time and fix all the wrongs? Could they have become the people they were? I think not. If you take this movie for what its worth you'll see the true story and not just gore.... read full review »

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ocgirlie007
Orange, CA

helpful
votes

Tim Burton has done it again!

an avid reader

FEB

2008

Sweeny Todd was amazing! If you are a Tim Burton fan, you will appreciate his take on Sweeny Todd. Singing was suprisingly good, kudos to JOhnny Depp and the younger members of the cast in particular. Helen Bonham Carter left something to be desired in the singing department. Parts were bloody, but in an unrealistic way, which didn't make you cringe too much. Interesting story, great acting!

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sweetstringy
Long Beach, CA

helpful
votes

A work of Art

a fan of clever plots, character-lover, chronic book buyer, an avid reader, a movie buff, horror film watcher

JAN

2008

this movie was a reicpe for perfection, Johny Depp, Tim Burton, Musical, Blood, meat pies, plot twist, more blood, great acting, and over all great storyline. I loved it, it goes along with 2007's best movies (including transformers, pans labrynth, and 300) I love all of Tim Burtons work.

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Tylerzombie
Wilmington, NC

helpful
vote

Gory Tale with Song

an avid reader, reading Oprah's picks, all for healthy snacks and foods, a busy person, frequent snacker

JUN

2008

I was really surprised how much I loved this movie. Sweeney Todd is a classic play, but I didn't really know the story until seeing this movie. I was delighted that it starred Johnny Depp, who was perfect for the main role. Sweeney Todd is the story of a barber who was wrongly accused by a jealous judge in the prime of his life. He was torn away from his lovely wife just so the judge could have her. Years later the barber, now known as Sweeney Todd returned to enact his revenge. I love not only the story because it is gory, but also because it is a musical. The film and song blend... read full review »

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stef42678
Las Vegas, NV

helpful
vote

Bloody, Brilliant

a fan of clever plots

JAN

2008

The older I get, the less I seem to like gore, but for all the talk about the blood in this flick I must be desensitized somewhat because I found myself far more affected by the emotional pain Johnny Depp brought to the character than by the scenes of throat cutting. I didn't think it was even in the same leagues with all the flicks out there today that seem to revel in how many different ways you can destroy a human body since it was so rich in character and had what I found to be a rather heartwrenching plot. Granted, unlike the play where the violence is "off in the distance", the movie shows... read full review »

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tina257
New York, NY

helpful
vote

Film is excellently cast...lots of singing from Johnny Depp

a movie buff

APR

2008

This film was very good...but there was a lot of singing, especially from Johnny Depp. He's still a great actor. The film was excellently cast, and although it is a little gory for some, overall its a great film.

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Bearluvr15
Port Jefferson, NY

helpful
vote

Great for a Horror Musical

an avid reader

APR

2008

I loved the movie. I thought the black and white added to the sadness and revenge and provided an awesome background to the blood-letting. It is a super love story with a twist. Johnny played a perfect man done wrong. Helen was awesome as a woman keeping a secret that could have changed the whole outcome of the movie. I about cried when he almost killed his daughter and I did cry when he realized he killed his wife. It is exactly what I expected from the creative mind of Tim Burton.

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delindar
Sierra Vista, AZ

helpful
vote

Not what you expect of Johnny Depp

a fiction reader, an avid reader, reading Oprah's picks

APR

2008

This movie was a great disappointment to my husband and myself. We both love Johnny Depp and with all the awards this movie received, we could not wait till it came out. Way too much singing, You had to use the scripts to understand half of what they were singing about. It was a total waste of Depp's talents. I am surprised he even agreed to make this total reject of a movie.

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bgibsonkent
Kent, OH

A bloody good time!

television buff, Every day computer user, Mother of 2, a pet owner, a movie lover, a busy person, a bargain hunter, a fan of clever plots

DEC

2007

I know that everyone's heard by now that this movie is bloody and that there's a lot of gore. I'm not going to tell you that it isn't, but I am going to tell you that it may not be as disturbing in context as you may think. The cinematography is spectacular & the lighting & colors are very muted - except for the blood, which is RED. I mean really bright red, red. The effect is that the blood seems almost cartoonish. Also, the fact that this a musical makes the blood (and the killing) seem very theatrical and unreal. I frequently have problems with my kids seeing some of today's slasher... read full review »

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GinaRez
Winchester, VA

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