Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Clive Owen, Samantha Morton, Jordi Molla
Dir. Shekhar Kapur
Scr. William Nicholson & Michael Hirst
I have been trying to get motivated enough to write this review. My response to this film was “meh” – it’s hard to write about such indifference. But then I started to think about why the heck they even made this film and this angered me. Blanchett’s first Elizabeth outing in 1998 was fantastic cinema and was rewarded both critically and financially. This film is a clear attempt to cash in on that success. Unfortunately, folks, when you don’t have the script, you don’t have anything.
The Golden Age tries to focus on two elements of Elizabeth’s life and the history of England – the Spanish Armada and Sir Walter Raleigh. But this focus is muddied by a script that pulls the characters in several directions at once – the attempted assassination, the search for a husband, the persecution of the Catholics in England, the demise of Walsingham … and so on and so forth. Yes, perhaps these things were all going on at the same time (though historical accuracy is not this films strong point). But that’s no excuse for a script that constantly loses focus, that chooses to focus on something so uninteresting when so much of interest was occurring, that is simultaneously confusing and boring.
Okay, I’m not entirely sure about the nature or extent of Elizabeth’s relationship with Raleigh, but the love triangle that at times dominates this film is just rubbish. I can’t help but assume that the filmmakers completely sold out and thought “well, I guess we’ll need a love story because that’s how it’s done”. That’s not how it’s done at all! The love story is without motivation or credibility. It sullies the film. For goodness sake, there was an attempted invasion going on! And one that was so pivotal that it has entered our language and consciousness. But, no, instead we have to constantly watch a bronzed Raleigh try to seduce both the Queen and her lady-in-waiting (and who, by the way, I’m pretty sure was NOT the hero of the Armada as he is portrayed in this film).
The performances aren’t bad in The Golden Age. Blanchett is back – she has so made this role her own I can’t imagine another Elizabeth – and is fiery and strong and wonderful. Too bad the script doesn’t allow her many opportunities to soar. The scene in which she toys with and then soothes a young suitor is absolutely brilliant and nearly worth the price of admission. Owen, as Raleigh, is very good but his character is so clichéd and annoying that he has little to work with. Molla, as the Spanish King, is brilliantly mad. Rush (Walsingham) is perhaps the standout and his relationship with Elizabeth remains the most interesting (as it was in the first film) – sadly, his role is incredibly small and this is a great downfall of the film. I wanted more Elizabeth/Walsingham intrigue and less Elizabeth/Raleigh rubbish.
So, I wouldn’t recommend The Golden Age at all. I was bored and frustrated. I was annoyed at the obvious manipulation of history to make this movie more marketable which, in the end, was incredibly detrimental to my enjoyment of the film. I was appalled at a clichéd and wooden script. If you want to see wonderful costumes, grand halls and a multitude of wigs, watch the first Elizabeth movie (again, if you have to). But don’t waste your time and money on this one.
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Spanish Minister: There is a wind coming that will sweep away your pride.
Queen Elizabeth I: I, too, can command the wind, sir! I have a hurricane in me that will strip Spain bare if you dare to try me!
Monday, November 26, 2007
Sunday, November 4, 2007
1408
John Cusack, Samuel L Jackson, Mary McCormack, Tony Shalhoub, Jasmine Jessica Anthony
Dir. Mikael Hafstrom
Scr. Matt Greenberg, Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski (based on a short story by Stephen King)
1408 is a movie of two halves. The first half is truly scary, quite intelligent and, above all, entertaining. The second half is not – its clichéd and overly CGI’ed and, well, downright boring. Maybe you could explain this to the ticket seller at your local cinema – they might let you in for half-price, which is all this movie is really worth.
1408 is about Mike Enslin (Cusack), a writer of trashy horror guides – Top Ten Scariest Hotels, Top Ten Scariest Graveyards, etc – who has yet to find something that has truly terrified him. Enslin is convinced that ghosts don’t exist and happy to make money off people who think they do. Jaded by his work, he is lured to the Dolphin Hotel in New York by an anonymous postcard. Specifically, lured to room 1408. Overcoming resistance from the hotel manager (Jackson), he checks in and so it begins.
Well, so it does begin but, sadly, it’s not maintained. The first hour of this film is great – good set-up; we get to know enough about Enslin to make him interesting and we get a little insight into what motivates him; fantastic scene between Enslin and the hotel manager; SCARY first twenty minutes or so in room 1408. And then, well, this film loses its way. It becomes less about scaring the audience with true creepiness and more about Enslin’s personal demons (ex-wife, dead kid, you know the drill) and lots of unnecessary special effects. In fact, that first period in the hotel room I can’t fully review – it had me so scared that I spent most of the time looking anywhere but at the screen (mostly hiding behind my boyfriend’s shoulder). Which, by the way, I take as a good sign. What’s the point of a horror film you can actually watch all the way through?!? Great suspense and truly disturbing, that section of the film is brilliant. Too bad the rest of it doesn’t deliver.
In terms of acting, this is a one-man show – it’s all about Enslin (Cusack). Cusack is extremely watchable (as always) and as he is torn from reality into the weird and evil world of room 1408, we automatically sympathise and are scared along with him – he truly has that “everyman” quality. Jackson puts in a great performance as the melodramatic hotel manager and McCormack is solid in support as Enslin’s ex-wife. But ultimately this film rests on Cusack’s shoulders – pity the writing didn’t support his very good performance.
1408 is based on a Stephen King short story and film buffs will know there have been a couple of fantastic adaptations of his back catalogue – namely The Shawshank Redemption and Apt Pupil. I am less fond of adaptations of his novels (with the notable exception of the brilliant Stand By Me), so was eager to see what the filmmakers had done with this short story. Sadly, very little of the finesse of Shawshank or Apt Pupil is present in 1408.
This film could have been so much better – if the writers could have just allowed it to be creepy throughout rather than delving into the world of fire and collapsing walls and personal demons. Sadly, I do not recommend this film. If it’s on tv, by all means catch the first hour or so – it’ll give you nightmares. But don’t make yourself sit through a disappointing and woefully unscary second half.
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Mike Enslin: [talking into tape recorder] Hotels are a naturally creepy place... Just think, how many people have slept in that bed before you? How many of them were sick? How many... died?
Dir. Mikael Hafstrom
Scr. Matt Greenberg, Scott Alexander & Larry Karaszewski (based on a short story by Stephen King)
1408 is a movie of two halves. The first half is truly scary, quite intelligent and, above all, entertaining. The second half is not – its clichéd and overly CGI’ed and, well, downright boring. Maybe you could explain this to the ticket seller at your local cinema – they might let you in for half-price, which is all this movie is really worth.
1408 is about Mike Enslin (Cusack), a writer of trashy horror guides – Top Ten Scariest Hotels, Top Ten Scariest Graveyards, etc – who has yet to find something that has truly terrified him. Enslin is convinced that ghosts don’t exist and happy to make money off people who think they do. Jaded by his work, he is lured to the Dolphin Hotel in New York by an anonymous postcard. Specifically, lured to room 1408. Overcoming resistance from the hotel manager (Jackson), he checks in and so it begins.
Well, so it does begin but, sadly, it’s not maintained. The first hour of this film is great – good set-up; we get to know enough about Enslin to make him interesting and we get a little insight into what motivates him; fantastic scene between Enslin and the hotel manager; SCARY first twenty minutes or so in room 1408. And then, well, this film loses its way. It becomes less about scaring the audience with true creepiness and more about Enslin’s personal demons (ex-wife, dead kid, you know the drill) and lots of unnecessary special effects. In fact, that first period in the hotel room I can’t fully review – it had me so scared that I spent most of the time looking anywhere but at the screen (mostly hiding behind my boyfriend’s shoulder). Which, by the way, I take as a good sign. What’s the point of a horror film you can actually watch all the way through?!? Great suspense and truly disturbing, that section of the film is brilliant. Too bad the rest of it doesn’t deliver.
In terms of acting, this is a one-man show – it’s all about Enslin (Cusack). Cusack is extremely watchable (as always) and as he is torn from reality into the weird and evil world of room 1408, we automatically sympathise and are scared along with him – he truly has that “everyman” quality. Jackson puts in a great performance as the melodramatic hotel manager and McCormack is solid in support as Enslin’s ex-wife. But ultimately this film rests on Cusack’s shoulders – pity the writing didn’t support his very good performance.
1408 is based on a Stephen King short story and film buffs will know there have been a couple of fantastic adaptations of his back catalogue – namely The Shawshank Redemption and Apt Pupil. I am less fond of adaptations of his novels (with the notable exception of the brilliant Stand By Me), so was eager to see what the filmmakers had done with this short story. Sadly, very little of the finesse of Shawshank or Apt Pupil is present in 1408.
This film could have been so much better – if the writers could have just allowed it to be creepy throughout rather than delving into the world of fire and collapsing walls and personal demons. Sadly, I do not recommend this film. If it’s on tv, by all means catch the first hour or so – it’ll give you nightmares. But don’t make yourself sit through a disappointing and woefully unscary second half.
---------------------------
Mike Enslin: [talking into tape recorder] Hotels are a naturally creepy place... Just think, how many people have slept in that bed before you? How many of them were sick? How many... died?
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