I absolutely loved this film which doesn't mean that the rest of the world will -- I have in fact already seen some lacklustre reviews -- but I found it a magical fairy tale pitched squarely at adults. Then again I also went into raptures over "MirrorMask" which was also based on a Neil Gaiman novel and that one hardly made a dent in the viewing public. This film directed by Matthew Vaughn has had a lot more money thrown at it and is, if anything, a little overpowering in its fantasy vision, but that's not a bad thing. Working with a largely British cast including little-known lead Charlie Cox, the budget has stretched to some Hollywood muscle amongst the cast which in this instance is all to the good.
Cox is in love with shallow village lass Sienna Miller who is set to accept a proposal from his rival and he promises to bring back a fallen star within seven days if she will wait. The star in question is embodied in Claire Danes' strange-looking but striking form, and he is not the only one after her. Hot in pursuit is ancient hag Michelle Pfeiffer (I never thought I could write that combination of words) who needs the heart of a star to regain her and her two crone sisters' youthful beauty. Pfeiffer is obviously having a ball in a role that mocks her own stunning looks and the make-up is brilliantly conceived as her briefly fresh beauty begins to rapidly deteriorate. Also on the hunt are the remaining sons of dying king Peter O'Toole; he had seven sons -- three already murdered by their siblings when the film begins -- and they all will do anything to sieze power and find the jewel which Danes now has. As the sons are in turn dispatched, we are shown their slightly comic and grotesque spectral ghosts who act as a kind of Greek chorus to the action.
Best of all the Hollywood imports (much to my amazement) is Robert De Niro who plays the tough-as-nails captain of a pirate ship in the sky who has captured Danes and Cox. It turns out that he is really a closet queen and his every appearance is a delight. I was frankly afraid that he might hijack the movie with an over-the-top performance per his recent comic roles, but in fact he steals every scene in which he appears with his good-natured turn. The same can not alas be said of Ricky Gervais who seems to be an obligatory presence at the moment. Fortunately his role was brief and he is rapidly first silenced and then disposed of. As I have written before I shall look forward to the time when we see no more of this pompous, self-important creature.
That apart I can not recommend this movie too highly, but if fantasy doesn't float your boat, it may not be the film for you. However for a clever, uplifting, slightly dark, humourous two hours, more full of action than whimsy, this movie is a definite winner.
1 comment:
De Niro somewhat overpowers the film which does seem to fall a little between the
fantasy and comic adventure stools with, from what I read about it, a number of
cameos by recent TV comedians with a mercifully short (alas not short enough) role for Ricky Gervais. Claire Danes is not quite what one expected for a real
star but I am not sure who whould have been more suited - Michelle Pfeiffer some
20 years ago? - from the current crop of her age (the bounteously endowed Scarlett J. being a little too young). Pfeiffer is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious or
however that encomium is spelt and the whole film a delightful romp.
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