Review of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) by Jeffrey G — 13 Aug 2012

A triumph of production design, cinematography and, well-Tim Burton-ness...at the expense of narrative. It looks FANTASTIC. Johnny Depp is a riot to watch, as always. As a narrative, however, it has a beginning and an end.

..but no middle. Actually, that's not true. It has a middle. Which is crammed into one musical number: "throw the old woman out!" Gee--anyone else besides me familiar with Ebert's "Law of Economy of Characters"? Oh, did anyone else think Helena Bonham Carter's character could have been played far better by any number of British actors who weren't fucking the director? Me too.