Jayne Wisener is excellent in the little screen time she's given as a the angelic and lusted after Johanna whose own step father Judge Turpin keeps her closed from the world and preserved like a China Doll garnering a disturbing infatuation and jealousy over her. Her vocalizing paired with her wide eyed performance makes her easily the most sympathetic character in the entire film with some truly excellent heartfelt moments of reflection in her character that make her supporting role something to remember. As for the production values, Burton is as top notch as usual with an amazing set design and some wonderful atmosphere that plays on shades of dark blues and grays keeping "Sweeney Todd" an immediately eye catching and grim little revenge story. Meanwhile Johnny Depp is pretty menacing as the utterly enraged Sweeney Todd who is out for vengeance and uses cannibalism and his life as a barber to wreak utter havoc on all of his enemies who sent him to jail.

Much like Tim Burton's most recent films, "Sweeney Todd" looks brilliant, but beyond that you'd be hard pressed to find any material here worth taking home with you. Like Burton's previous films, there's not much beyond the gorgeous coating of colors and tones, it's all hollow inside filled with one-dimensional characterization and actors so out of their element it's astounding. While Depp is gritty as Sweeney Todd he can't carry a single tune to save his life, so Burton and co. rely on him talking as he sings to mask the fact that he can't truly vocalize. The same can be said for Helena Bonham Carter who is just average as a singer and nonetheless very forgettable as a character. She aids in Todd's journey of revenge and turns his victims in to pies for the locals to feast on, but beyond that her accessory to his journey is rather ho hum and not very compelling in the least. Her relationship with Toby leaves much to be desired and acts as a plot device that leaves the film to slow down gradually in to a conflict of interest as Todd loses his sanity in the attempt to right his wrongs as she grows a conscience.

Alas, like much of Burton's recent film repertoire, "Sweeney Todd" looks incredible, like a moving painting, but it's absolutely mediocre and rather tedious to sit through. Some audiences may appreciate the theatrics and bloodshed, but overall the story of Sweeney Todd as told by Burton and his dream team is easily forgotten and utterly under whelming.