This is such a rousing and dramatically charged picture for any director, but for a first-timer it's something else. Henry V announces its director's passion and masterful ability with his cast and in creating a style that is brutal and poetic like only a handful of others from the past 20 years. Tarantino might be one of them, or Aronofsky, but with Branaugh his appeal is that of using the language and music to be found in film language in order to keep Shakespeare strong. There may be one or two scenes to have to focus on if you're not prepared for the Bard's rapid-fire turns of phrases or delicate touches within a single sentence (or, for that matter, if you haven't simply read the play or even seen Olivier's version as I hadn't), but in general this *is* Shakespeare for an audience that would normally not go much near it.
It isn't entirely as "mainstream" as say Lurhmann's Romeo + Juliet, but maybe it doesn't need to be all the way. Branaugh already has enough scenes here that make it as a true-blue war picture, complete with a sensational battle sequence, that all he needs is his who's who of British stage actors it aims at its particular audience- those who can't get enough of wonderful actors expounding and emoting full throttle or in thought provoking contemplation- like a shotgun at the moon. Paul Scoffield, Judi Dench, Ian Holm, Emma Thompson, Christian Bale, they all make up great big chunks of the production as their own, even, as with Dench, for only so few minutes. They're also shot by Branaugh as director and his crew in a totally unglamorous manner; this is to Shakespeare what Braveheart is to kilts, it's gritty and full of pain and a drive for glory just in technical tone alone.
Granted, the picture may be most recommendable to those who are Shakespeare lovers and want to see something brought to the screen with faithfulness and a sense of interesting direction. Fair enough, since it's probably true. But for anyone just looking for a piece of historical dramatization it works some minor wonders: not every scene stands out as a masterpiece, but many do, and it's one of the best of 1989.
It isn't entirely as "mainstream" as say Lurhmann's Romeo + Juliet, but maybe it doesn't need to be all the way. Branaugh already has enough scenes here that make it as a true-blue war picture, complete with a sensational battle sequence, that all he needs is his who's who of British stage actors it aims at its particular audience- those who can't get enough of wonderful actors expounding and emoting full throttle or in thought provoking contemplation- like a shotgun at the moon. Paul Scoffield, Judi Dench, Ian Holm, Emma Thompson, Christian Bale, they all make up great big chunks of the production as their own, even, as with Dench, for only so few minutes. They're also shot by Branaugh as director and his crew in a totally unglamorous manner; this is to Shakespeare what Braveheart is to kilts, it's gritty and full of pain and a drive for glory just in technical tone alone.
Granted, the picture may be most recommendable to those who are Shakespeare lovers and want to see something brought to the screen with faithfulness and a sense of interesting direction. Fair enough, since it's probably true. But for anyone just looking for a piece of historical dramatization it works some minor wonders: not every scene stands out as a masterpiece, but many do, and it's one of the best of 1989.