HENRY V is the last of the BBC's 2012 TV miniseries THE HOLLOW CROWN, which showcased adaptations of Shakespeare's RICHARD II, HENRY IV PART 1 & 2, and now this. RICHARD II with Ben Whishaw was undoubtedly the strongest of the bunch, but HENRY V comes close at times and proves far better than the slightly interminable HENRY IV, PARTS 1 & 2.
It's a better play all round, because this is actually about something: it's about war, leadership, class, and what it takes to be a man. Tom Hiddleston comes into his own in this one and delivers an excellent performance to rival that of Branagh or Olivier. To think I hated the guy in those superhero movies he appears in, only to find out that he's a decent actor after all!
The paucity of the BBC budget is sometimes apparent in the ridiculously small-scale battle sequences (on a par with those in the SHARPE TV series) but the atmosphere and drama are nonetheless top-notch, and the casting director should also be commended for fitting out some great actors for the supporting roles (Owen Teale, for example). Certainly a rousing finish to the series, at least until THE HOLLOW CROWN returns with Benedict Cumberbatch (among others) next year.
It's a better play all round, because this is actually about something: it's about war, leadership, class, and what it takes to be a man. Tom Hiddleston comes into his own in this one and delivers an excellent performance to rival that of Branagh or Olivier. To think I hated the guy in those superhero movies he appears in, only to find out that he's a decent actor after all!
The paucity of the BBC budget is sometimes apparent in the ridiculously small-scale battle sequences (on a par with those in the SHARPE TV series) but the atmosphere and drama are nonetheless top-notch, and the casting director should also be commended for fitting out some great actors for the supporting roles (Owen Teale, for example). Certainly a rousing finish to the series, at least until THE HOLLOW CROWN returns with Benedict Cumberbatch (among others) next year.