Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a dark, operatic tale set in grimy Victorian London about Benjamin Barker — now calling himself Sweeney Todd — who returns after years of wrongful exile to exact bloody revenge on the corrupt Judge Turpin who destroyed his family. Reopening a barber shop above Mrs. Lovett’s failing pie shop, Todd soon turns his razor into an instrument of vengeance, while Mrs. Lovett hatches a gruesome way to profit from his victims. Along the way the story weaves in Todd’s lost wife Lucy, his stolen daughter Johanna, the lovestruck sailor Anthony, and a cast of rivals and villains whose fates become entwined in tragedy. Watching the film you’ll experience a striking blend of musical theatre, gothic drama and black horror: stylized, atmospheric production design and haunting, often soaring musical numbers give the story operatic intensity, while grisly violence and macabre humor keep the tone unsettled and visceral. The pace moves between elegiac, show-stopping songs and moments of brutal, suspenseful action, so emotional highs — grief, rage, yearning — are punctuated by shocking physical consequences. Expect a richly staged, visually moody film that mixes sorrow and dark comedy with graphic, gruesome elements and moral ambiguity. It’s theatrical and immersive: you’ll be drawn into Todd’s descent and Mrs. Lovett’s twisted practicality, feel sympathy and revulsion at once, and leave with the story’s tragic weight. Viewer note: the movie contains explicit violence, gore and disturbing themes, so it’s not suitable for young or squeamish audiences.

Actors: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman

Director: Tim Burton

Runtime: 116 min

Genres: Drama, Horror, Musical

6.8 /10 83 /100 7.3 /10 7.5 /10