Review of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) by Kevinl. — 01 Jan 2008

Once you swallow the narrative absurdity inherent in practically every musical, this is pretty decent. Burton makes the most of the actors' expressions, even behind the cake of make-up they all wear.

Timothy Spall is especially good as Beadle Bamford -- the play of vanity and sadism sweep across his face like dark clouds across a full moon. Burton's best since Mars Attacks! (a classic!), because he doesn't allow himself to get too sappy with his woe-begotten underdogs (who, after all, are psychotic killers).