Last night, Bee and I went with the EcoFellow to see Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd starring the adorable Johnny Depp and the noir-some Helena Bonham Carter. I'll grant you, I knew the story line and what it was about, but oh, yuck.I won't say anymore except to say, don't spend $10.25 to see this bloodbath. In fact, don't even spend the price of a matinée ticket. If you're all fired up to see it, wait for it to release on DVD. Okay, I'm lying. I will say a little more...
Depp is good in this, as per his usual Tim-Burton-directed self, but his accent slips into Captain Jack a little too often. Bonham Carter is actually the character worth watching. She just does dark and creepy, but lovable, so well. She was good in this. Alan Rickman was bland, which is too bad, because he usually and especially does sinister superbly. Regardless, none of this redeems this movie. And the music isn't all that memorable, aside from the song Joanna. What the hell was Stephen Sondheim thinking with this piece?
This makes the second or third movie we've seen with the EcoFellow that none of us liked. (Not that that's the EcoFellow's fault. I didn't mean to imply that.) To quote the EF: "I'm beginning to think that movies make me tired." I think the three of us are going to have to find a different activity when we get together. Or, we're going to have to start seeing kid's flicks.
8 comments:
This is the first negative review of this movie that I've read. I already wasn't interested in seeing it when I thought that everyone loved it, so I guess I won't be weighing in on my own. But I'm sad to hear that Alan Rickman was bland! I heart him.
Thanks for sharing, J! I wanted to see this movie ONLY because of Depp. I think he is marvelous in whatever he does. (And nice on the eyes, too.) However, things just have not worked out that I have gotten my behind to the theater to watch it. Perhaps it's the Universe keeping me out of harms way.
~Abgue
I ♥ Alan Rickman so I will take your cue and not go. Oh wait I knew it was bloody and had decided against it already.
The last movie I went out to see was Second Hand Lions. I use to go once a year, God I'm getting lazy.
What a shame...I think that a movie in 2008, based on Sweeney Todd, is going to have a fair amount of gore and violence, but it is a shame that there's not a tame version for people who want to enjoy the plot but don't need the visuals.
I suppose, in fairness, I should say that there were parts of the film that were visually stunning and captivating, but not enough to hold my interest. In fact, about 45 minutes into it, I was ready to leave. It literally took all my energy to stay. By the end, I was worn out and felt like I'd just wasted two hours of my life I won't ever get back.
And, as Aitch pointed out, the gore ended up distracting from a story that might have been a bit more riveting if you weren't waiting every other second for the next spurt of blood and slash of the blade. There's graphic and then there's over the top. The former I can handle. The latter, I can't. This was the latter.
Musicals on the screen can be very good. The Phantom of the Opera was absolutely breathtaking and provided viewers with an opportunity to see a Broadway production they might otherwise not have. Sweeney Todd is a similar opportunity. Unfortunately, it was utterly disappointing. More than that, it was just flat out exhausting.
And now, I'm just repeating myself, so I'll go away.
Mike and I saw it. Eh. I'd never seen the play and wasn't familiar with the story. Liked Johnny Depp, as always, and HBC rocks.
Thought more subtle gore would have been better. Left a little queasy, with the song Joanna stuck in my head.
What Jess said -- I felt like there must be something wrong with me for not wanting to see a movie about a serial killer set to music.
What a relief.
- Phoebe
ME: Queasy is the right word for it. I know I felt a little nauseous at the end. Depp and Bonham Carter were good, but not enough to redeem this film. The worst part is, as you point out, having that song stuck in my head while visions of goriness dance in my head.
Phoebe: Trust me. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. You're a wise woman.
Post a Comment