A film addressing issues concerning the black death and the medieval mind set linking plague with witchcraft and the demonic in the culture of the day sounded interesting. A film starring Nicolas Cage and Claire Foy sounded well worth viewing. What a disappointment! I wonder what induced two such powerful and talented actors to allow themselves to get involved in this kind of stuff? The central part of the film was a tad formulaic - it dealt with heroes coping with the hazards of the quest/journey, and getting to the end of the journey against the odds etc etc. Not exactly "Lord of the Rings", but it was I suppose competent, albeit somewhat predictable. But then the end - there was no dramatic resolution of the conflict between modern and medieval world views - instead, the last reel suddenly goes off into a piece of horror film fantasy with comic book demons jumping about the place. If I wanted this sort of horror movie, its been done loads better elsewhere. If I wanted a realistic plot looking at the issues, it wasn't done at all. A real let down.
Reviews
2 Reviews
Trust the Man
(2005)
Pity it wasn't a French movie
31 December 2007
I watched this movie hoping for a French-style witty and reflective comedy examining complex relationships. What a pity this wasn't a European movie set in the cafés and homes of Paris rather than New York!
After a promising 15 minutes when initial relationships are established, the whole thing rapidly descends into a series of cheap and corny attempts at humour all rounded off with the worst of Hollywood RomCom endings. Secondary characters such as the guy with the foreign accent are one dimensional and clichéd, so that an interesting comedy descends into not-very-funny farce, and the potential for comic examination of believable roles and relationships is lost.
The leads - especially Maggie Gyllenhall, Julianne Moore and David Duchovney - are (as always) excellent. But their contribution is in spite of, not because of, the script.
6/10 - but only to reflect the lead actors' efforts to rescue a really disappointing script.
After a promising 15 minutes when initial relationships are established, the whole thing rapidly descends into a series of cheap and corny attempts at humour all rounded off with the worst of Hollywood RomCom endings. Secondary characters such as the guy with the foreign accent are one dimensional and clichéd, so that an interesting comedy descends into not-very-funny farce, and the potential for comic examination of believable roles and relationships is lost.
The leads - especially Maggie Gyllenhall, Julianne Moore and David Duchovney - are (as always) excellent. But their contribution is in spite of, not because of, the script.
6/10 - but only to reflect the lead actors' efforts to rescue a really disappointing script.
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