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Review #5 of 365
Film: Tristan & Isolde [PG-13] 125 minutes
WIP: $11.00
When 1st Seen: 15 January 2006
Where Viewed: Lincoln Square Cinemas, Bellevue, WA
Time: 5:30 p.m.
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DVD |
Let me start with the preview again as is a habit of mine. The preview for this film made me not want to see it. In fact, I had vowed at the time, not to see the film. That was before I committed to my movie-a-day blog, however, thank goodness. I thought the preview was pretentious, “Before Romeo and Juliet, there was Tristan and Isolde,” please! Then it was just plain too long, and I couldn’t imagine how there could be much of the movie we hadn’t already seen. Finally, I thought the little kid, Tristan, looked just too moody. Yes, I do have some odd reasons for not liking previews. My main complaint, which I shall voice here only once, is that previews give away too much about the plots and often spoil the movie. So, I tend to play cell phone games and try not to pay attention to them at all. This one, however, I forgot and watched. In any case, all of my presumptions, including that the little kid Tristan--played only briefly by Thomas Sangster--was too moody, were all incorrect. There was plenty of Tristan & Isolde beyond the preview, the preview was not too long compared to what is yet to happen in the film--though it does give away a bit too much, and Thomas Sangster does an excellent job of capturing the moodiness of the older Tristan, played with grace and wisdom beyond my wildest expectations by James Franco—yes, the friend of Peter Parker in Spiderman 1 & 2, that will be with him, based on the circumstances of his childhood, the rest of his days. Finally, lest you be at all worried about Romeo and Juliet, there are some distant similarities between the stories, but this is in no way a remake of the classic Shakespeare. Instead, it is based on a myth/legend from the Dark Ages of England just after the collapse of the Roman Empire.
So, with all historical accuracy aside, permit me to simply comment on this film itself. From the foreshadowing in my opening and my WIP of $11, you can probably guess that I really enjoyed this film. Part of me is unsure if that is because I had such low expectations from the start or not. That does sometimes happen, of course, especially given the preview. But, no, I really think I enjoyed the movie so much because it is a really good story—one can see why the legend/myth of the love between Tristan & Isolde was told all over Europe for centuries. The movie does a beautiful job of developing this love as it evolves between the two in a most unusual way that I won’t give away here, of course. James Franco and Sophia Myles are captivating, on-screen presences. You can see the electricity between them even when they are miles apart.
James Franco as Tristan and Sophia Myles as Isolde
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I have to say that I was particularly impressed with Mr. Franco. To say that I didn’t think he had this performance in him would be an understatement. This role involved him training in sword play to achieve a credible performance as a champion leading to him becoming a crucial player in the leadership of his feudal state of pre-united England. He was entirely believable throughout. Moreover, as previously noted, he carries the anguish of his childhood and subsequent fervent devotion to honor, duty, and loyalty in every furrow of his brow. Quite plainly, his portrayal was captivating. Likewise, thus is also true for Ms. Myles as the stunning beauty of Isolde, daughter of the Irish King; who, at the time, was the great power monger for all of Ireland and the isle of England. Isolde is her own woman; yet, historically, she is the daughter of the King and, therefore, subject to his whim. She lives her life without control. This, then, serves as the fertile ground to fuel her relentless passion and perseverance. Together, they make for perfect, tortured soul mates doomed to never taste the true joy of their match made in heaven.
Tristan and Isolde in love.
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Every so often, I like a great movie with castles and moats and swords and good, old-fashioned hand-to-hand combat where the outcome of the battle is rooted in the strategy of the minds and the bravery of those who know from the moment they commit that the sword of their enemy may pierce their heart and they will die. Mix in a great love story, a secret passage, a bucket of hot, buttered popcorn plus a large Coke®, and you have all the makings of great Sunday afternoon at the movies.
Now Available for Purchase on DVD
Tristan & Isolde (Widescreen Version) [DVD] (2006) DVD
Tristan & Isolde [DVD] (2006) DVD
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