By Joe Guzman

Contributing Reporter

Tim Burton joins forces yet again with a razor-wielding Johnny Depp in the adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s 1979 Broadway musical, “Sweeney Todd.” 

We’ve seen Depp prove his barbershop chops in similar fashion in 1990’s “Edward Scissorhands,” but Depp is no longer the innocent and inaudible, scissor-handed creature conjured up by Burton’s imagination.

 

In “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street,” Depp is the wrongfully-convicted prison escapee, singing and slashing his way through Victorian England, fueled by revenge (and terrible meat pies). 

The story unfolds as the escaped convict, Todd, sails up the Thames River while bitterly introducing the setting with his ode to the city, “No Place Like London,” as he returns focused only on the payback of the corrupt Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) who wrongfully sentenced him and stole his wife and daughter. 

The mad barber sets up shop in the upstairs apartment above London’s notoriously nasty Mrs. Lovett’s Meat Pie bakery, run by the sinisterly sexy Helena Bonham Carter. She reveals to him his old set of razors that she kept while he was imprisoned, divulging her desire for Sweeney Todd’s heart. 

But her symbol of affection and her visions of a future together are futile, as Todd’s hunger for revenge, can only be satisfied by the blood of the judge. Like her meat pies to the rest of the town, Lovett’s love is ignored, undesired and utterly unappetizing to Todd. 

It is then no coincidence that as the death toll of Todd’s victims grows, so does the town’s desire for Mrs. Lovett’s new and improved meat pies. 

The film climaxes as Judge Turpin, in search of his missing adopted daughter, Todd’s biological daughter Johanna, finds himself in Todd’s barber’s chair for a clean shave, so he can look his best when he reunites with the girl. A reunion Todd ensures never happens.

The story is compelling, the singing is impressive and the acting is top-notch. Burton’s use of the overly gory, but visibly enticing splashes of the crimson blood splattering the scenery is a creative contrast to his signature gothic tones. 

Depp’s willingness to take on risky roles and his successful interpretation of characters as complex as Todd prove that he is one of the best actors of our generation. 

His versatility is unmatched and when given the freedom to show off his range, he can take on anything thrown his way, even singing.