Review: Sweeny Todd

Went to see Sweeny Todd yesterday fully expecting the usual Tim Burton storytelling and aesthetic. He did not disappoint; the scenery was classic Burton -- dark, moody, and appropriately bleak. I had no qualms about the film being a musical; The Nightmare Before Christmas showed Burton can weave together a musical narrative. The acting was solid all around even from the newcomers; Johnny Depp conveys a myriad emotions through a simple gesture or facial expression. I would not be surprised if he got an Oscar nomination for this role.

I enjoyed the story as I was sitting through it; it is not a terribly elaborate plot. To steal a barber's beautiful wife, a judge has the barber falsely imprisoned. The barber comes back to London fifteen years later for revenge. The two hours flew by quickly though after the film I felt it was a bit too quick. Had this growing feeling that the film lacked substance. Not sure I would want it to run longer, but thinking back on it, there just isn't much there that would get me to watch it again. Still, was a fun, macabre film to watch once, but it is not something I'll pick up to own when the DVD hits.