Someone has to say it: Tim Burton is a hasbeen. There, I said it, and I'm glad it's out there. Quell your outrage for a moment and just entertain the idea. You know I'm right. His 'unique visual style' is totally stagnant, he really hasn't got much feeling for pace or character or timing. He's just 'quirky', and his quirks are getting old really fast. I've seen more captivating insights into the nature of man during my little brothers christmas pageants. I can put up with one or two godawful pieces of trash, but Sweeny Todd has confirmed my suspicions that Burton is clueless. The less said about the singing the better. Depp, frankly, is embarrassing. The songs themselves are totally forgettable, and not at all funny. The plot is predictable. Remarkably, the minor characters are the only redeeming feature in this disaster. Old what's-his-name, the short fat guy with the top hat - I liked him. Also, young so-and-so, the one who rescued what's-her-name from wherever. He was intriguing. Carter, too, was excellent as usual. Throw in the towel Burton. Your time is up! ps If anyone starts oozing about what a genius Burton is I want to point out that you are probably still delirious from the poisonous garbage he's been shoveling down your throat and are incapable of judgment. Later.… Expand

Musicals suck this is sooooo over rated crap.

This is bad. Critics gave this an 83? WTF. Metacritic needs to readjust the critic calculation. [Ed: Sure thing, DJ....]

To say the least this movie would be the last on the list i would like to watch(even if its a Johny Depp movie).The reason i didn't like this movie was was not made for normal people.....i mean how can a person serve burgers having human organs.......and to add to the woes ending of the movie was ridiculous.

Before the first half of the movie was over, I found myself praying that someone would come along and kill Johnny Depp's character. The songs ranged from mediocre, to banal and extremely trying. I use the "songs" loosely because a couple "songs" consisted of the endless repetition of the same two word refrains. The mood is consistently inappropriate, either being too dreary or too lighthearted. I just can't say enough negative things about this movie. The characters were dull and the conclusion was predictable.… Expand

I've enjoyed cinema for years ... and even like 'dark' cinema (e.g. Naked Lunch, Tideland). I found this to be barely watchable and unintelligent drivel. I think I'll stay at home and play the BluRay release of BladeRunner again to review art. I really wish that Tim Burton would find his Emo muse and would end up in a meat pie. Nightmare before Christmas was solid and a classic with a wonderful Elfman score ... what happened Mr. Burton?… Expand

Yikes! Am I the only one who didn't like this movie? I wanted to like it, but it just didn't do it for me. The songs didn't grab me. By the end there still just weren't any that I liked, so instead of enjoying the music, it felt more like a musical barrage that I just had to endure through. That was compounded by the darkness of the tale. The whole experience was just too abrasive for me. I expected it to be dark, but I expected it to be more fun. There was some humor(black humor, of course!) but overall it was just too bleak and I frankly just didn't care for the songs, so I couldn't enjoy it.… Expand

Do not see this movie, it's terrible. Be warned it's a musical, a tongue in check one at that and very bad. I have liked all of the other Burton/ Depp collaborations but this one feels like they are trying to just mess with the studios and put out a purposefully bad dud. I have never written a review before and felt compelled to do so because I feel they ripped me off by putting out this "from Dusk Till Dawn" type trash.… Expand

Overall, this is the most over hyped film I have ever seen. If the music was memorable I would understand all the great reviews, but really I don

What happened to the Burton charm of Edward Scissorhands? This movie was over-marketed, over-produced, over-musical. Nothing memorable, except the stupidity that the characters in this dark tale break into ridiculous, unappealing songs every five minutes. It made me groan every time I heard the score starting up. Maybe it would've worked better if it weren't a musical.

No fun at all. To the extent that there is a plot it is transparent and redundant. To the extent that there is a subtext (regarding class warfare) it is brushed aside and stereotyped at every opportunity. To the extent that there are songs they are unmemorable and occasionally tuneless. To the extent that there is a visual design it is unimpressive. One of the least interesting films around.

Truly terrible. Boring, boring and... boring!!

lifeless and in the end boring. The lackluster singing of the leads and lack of chemistry doomed this venture. I find Simon B and DJs comments below funny - no bad movies, is that a real statement? And complaining to the editors of metacritic about the 83 score - blame the critics - I see a lot of 90 and 100s up there.

The singing is annoying; the songs are mediocre. If the actors would have just not sung, the movie might have been tolerable.

Dark, dull, boring and boring. Did I mention it was boring?

Amazing movie in all respects except one; the singing was extremely bad... like squirm in your seat and cover your ears bad. Headache bad. It was like sitting through 2 hours of alley cats yowling. I would have scored it higher if it was on mute!

Ms. Carter's performance ruined what was otherwise a fine film. She was just terrible. Of course, I am jaded by the ghost of Ms. Lansbury's performance in the original version, but surely someone better suited to this role could have been found.

Wow. It's amazing how easily people are impressed. This film was not scary, it was not interesting, and while I have not seen the musical on which the film is based, I cannot imagine this tossed-off piece of tripe could have done it justice. It is poorly directed and shot, and plods along like a utilitarian summary of its source material. Helena Bonham Carter is pretty good, and Johnny isn't bad either, but they are chained to one or two grim sets for the whole film, forced to rattle off with straight blank faces music that is obviously meant to underscore a spiral into whirling insanity. And shocking? If this movie made some chilling point about humanity, it must have been hidden at the end of the closing credits. If this movie was somehow disturbing, I guess I'm sort of zombie, cause I am not a watcher of horror movies at all and this didn't even make me squirm. All in all, if you want to see something grim, go see a Todd Solondz movie or something. In any case, a movie with structure, characters, creativity and competence might have been appreciated. As for me? I'm now regretting I wasted more of my time on this tepid Dickensian knockoff.… Expand

Most over-rated movie this year.

Way better movies, not worth the time, too much blood for my taste.

I've been the kind of person that reads movie reviews and NEVER says anything myself, but I can't let this one go. This movie had to be one of the most overrated, overhyped two hours of musical boredom. I have been a fan of a lot of Depp and Burton's movies, but this one was one of the least entertaining movies I've seen in awhile. The general activity in the theatre seemed to be divided between checking watches and just trying to stay awake. The dreary, lifeless sets and characters were obviously all well crafted to create a dreary and lifeless tale this time. This film was not unsettling, hardly scary and above all else just not interesting. If had to choose one word to sum up this movie it would be "boring," if had two it would be VERY BORING. If you are a lover of musicals, or tim burton just watch one of your own favorites instead of damaging those feelings by watching this tripe.… Expand

About 20 minutes worth of dark chuckles mixed in with an hour and a half of eye glazing boredom. Honestly, have you had the wool pulled over your eyes by Burton? This film was awful!

Two stars for the great costumes and for getting to see Helena Bonham Carter (we see far too much of Johnny Depp already, thanks). The film is vile, bloody, and utterly pointless. The gore serves no point other than gross-out. The songs will stick in your head, but only in way that annoying jingles do as they are repetitive and grating. It will make you sigh for the happier days of "Beetlejuice".

I completely agree with so many of you. Style over substance. I found this painfully hard to watch as it was so boring

I find it hard to completely dislike almost any movie but Sweeney Todd is an exception. I found nothing to like in this overly stylized tribute to the darkness in the souls of men. The inevitable and predictable violence was gratuitous and strangely without meaning. The characterizations were particularly shallow except, perhaps, for Helena Bonham Carter's as Mrs. Lovett and Ed Sanders as Toby. The music, which many reviewers have attempted to redeem as "adequate" or "acceptable" is, in fact, awful. The scoring is overwhelmingly harsh and within seconds after leaving the theater I could not remember a single melody or more than two or three words of any lyric. I'm sorry, but Johnny Depp is not a singer. Moreover his facial and body nuances were nothing more than rehashed Cap'n Jack from Pirates. And I say this as a pretty big Depp fan in general. As usual Tim Burton has created a deeply atmospheric experience but it's not enough to carry the day. With regret, not recommended.… Expand

I was thouroughly browned throughout, therefore it is safe to say that i was in the best mindset to view the film, and so i enjoyed it immensely. But it was pretty lackluster besides being stoned on.

just shoot me, thats what i said heading out of the theatre, I absolutely hated this musical/slasher flick, the two should never meet again, except for Jason Voorhies meets the Brady bunch, then...maybe.

I'll admit it is full of blood and Johnny was brilliant in it but thats just circumstantial compared to the sheer rubbishness of the story!!!

Depp cannot have any spirit until he shows us that he has one, don't anyone let us get past these high reviews, Depp is as much of a dull name as Johnny. John Depp, the perfect name for a bore, as Tim Burton's skill proceeds to be very dark and bloodily violent, all we get to see the actor's place their off-beat singing voices that toon off the strength of the song. There is no magic in this thats for sure, no pressence of taste, and nothing but quirky unexcellency. They should have gotten rid of the dead bodies, because they are stinking up the theatre.… Expand

This will be the next Oscar contending, golden globe award winning masterpiece of the year, although the story basic's are uncompelled, boring, hard to watch being performed, weak, and corny status. They make this movie weird and awkward in taste, it is hard to get used to, and once it reaches initial incodent, things just get worse, it seems as though Tim Burton wants us to go home.

Wow!!! 88? For critics? Huh? I'm lost? Is this a joke? Like seriously, i think i was watching the wrong movie. So, can we for now on count on trust critics? no! And if National Treasure was an amusing good movie then why do they say 39? Because it is not us that are watching the wrong movie!!!! It is just our opinions! I confess myself, dissapointed, not one of the concepts grabbed me in entertainment, Tim burton fools around with history and make it weird and twisted into dark times of crap, so be it. This movie sucks, and it looks cool, and they try to entertain you with so much, but truly I was bored from opening logos to the end of the credits.… Expand

What should have been bloody FUN (Todd is supposed to be a dark comedy, equal parts horror and humor) is instead bloody boring. The best one-liners from the stage production have been axed, and the scant humor that remains is downplayed. The dueling love stories (Todd and Lovett, the sailor and Joanna) are giving only surface treatment to make room for more brooding by Depp. And while Depp at least manages a few captivating gestures and glances, Bonham Carter is a breathy, clueless disaster. Deepens one's respect for the amazing achievement of John Doyle, Patti LuPone and Michael Cerveris in the Broadway revival.… Expand

A powerful blunder of epic proportions. Like a horrendous train wreck, this smoldering pile drags on for eternity. Viewing this movie will cause boredom, nausea and increased blood pressure. Loss of self worth/respect is inevitable.

It is not a good sign for a film when you see other audience members beside yourself checking your watch. I have to wonder if I'm missing something; or perhaps I'm simply not as cultured as others, but my God, this movie was boring. Tim Burton didn't even have to decency to use brighter colors (besides for the blood) in an effort to keep his audience awake. The music, story, and acting were all such a disappointment, especially after reading so many glowing reviews. And I'm very tired of Johnny Depp brooding in every Tim Burton film.… Expand

Gore is excessive. Enjoyed stage version much more.

Predictable and boring. The music is tedious. Between a song here and there I got lost in the movie a bit, so I can't give it a one or a two, but jeeze, other than for maybe 5 minutes in total, I never once lost sight of the fact that I was in a theatre watching a movie difficult to get through. And I like Johnny Dep. This just isn't a very good movie, little is original in the idea of slashing and serving the victims for dinner. In a word, trite. It just is not a very good movie.… Expand

Johnny Depp is always good and Sasha Cohen is wonderful in his short appearance, but how often can you watch Depp slit someone's throat? Can't wait for the copycat crimes!

Sweeney todd was a crap film. Burton is running out of steam, and has been for quite some time: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was blah; Corpse Bridge was crap. He did Edward Scissorhands, Nightmare Before Christmas, and Sleepy Hollow; three pretty good films. What was Sweeney Todd (aside from another adaptation of someone else's work)?--A watered down (or bloodied up) uninspired mish mash of those three films. I mean that is exactly what it is, so exactly. I mean of course Burton is going to utilize his signature style in his works, but the similarities are beyond striking. If I didn't know it was Burton, I'd think it was a crap ripoff of him. Sweeney Todd is bland and cheap, no matter how much money they put into it. I probably would have thought even less of the film if I had seen the Broadway prior to seeing the film. Now I'm not even interested.… Expand

I am a film fanatic and a HUGE Tim Burton film. Im not sure what movie everyone was watching when they voted and the critics reviewed. The acting was great and I may be alone on this as well, but Sacha Baron Cohen stole the movie. However, I thought it was one of the least entertaining movies I've seen. I dont mind dark, I dont mind blood, but give us something that doesnt make us feel completely uneasy. The funniest part was at the end of the movie when 1 single person started clapping and everyone laughed. I dont think I was alone with how I felt. Completely disappointing.… Collapse

Far less intelligent, funny or dark than the recent Broadway revival, the film fails to realize that Sweeney Todd is as much about Mrs. Lovett as it is about Todd. They've dumbed it down to make it more "accessible", but it makes for a dull film. And Bonham Carter is, sadly, awful beyond description.

This isn

Run, don't walk from this movie. If I could give this a minus rating I would. Can't say I've sat through a more dark gruesome morbid movie in many years. If your idea of a good movie is to view at least a dozen graphic throat slashings with spurting blood, then this is the movie for you. Contemptable at best.