Why did critics dislike this movie?
I can understand some of it may have been due to Michelle Pfieffer, but why so much negativity?
shareWell, I definitely sympathise with the critics because I really, really disliked this film, mainly due to its terrible cast. Compared to the stunning performances of A Midsummer Night's Dream I have seen on stage, the actors in this film were a huge disappointment - living proof that Hollywood names do not equate good acting, and whoever cast this film was touched in the head. Dominic West and Christian Bale both seemed very wooden and superficial, Rupert Everett could not carry the role of Oberon, and Stanley Tucci was no Puck either. Kevin Kline wasn't bad. But the female performances, apart from Sophie Marceau's, I thought were appalling. Calista Flockhart was the worst - she gabbled all her lines (which no Shakespeare veteran would dream of doing), constantly wore a stupid wide-eyed expression over her face and said so cheerfully "I'll make a Heaven of Hell to die upon the hand I love so well" that I was ready to throw something at the screen. She is not made for anything deeper than Ally McBeal; she should certainly be let nowhere near a Shakespeare play. Anna Friel was a disaster, and Michelle Pfieffer didn't impress me at all. I could go on and on about the acting ... if they had cast decent actors I might have liked it. My other criticism is that they might have set the action in Greece rather than Italy, considering how the play is set in Athens and the fact is constantly referred to in the play! So I think it's very easy to dislike this film. I'm sure some people will like it, and I probably would have liked it if the cast had been able to act their parts. All we can do is pray for another better adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream in ten years time - I think it's a play with endless screen potential and it's such a shame this cast (or rather, the casting director) botched it up so completely.
shareI didn't hate the acting, but I was certainly a bit disappointed in it. It's one of my favourite of the Bard's plays and I was looking forward to seeing a big production, but this was just a bit too luck-lustre.
If you want to compare this to a good film of a Shakespeare play, try the 1996 production Twelfth Night: Or What You Will.
Have you seen the 1968 version? That was fantastic, it had Diana Rigg, Helen Mirren, Ian Holm and Judi Dench wearing only a couple of carefully placed plowers and green body paint. Need I say more!
Or I think the director's not good enough to handle this movie, even thought he actually got some good actors in hands, kevin kline, michelle pfeiffer, they are all talented actors/actresses in hollywood indeed, and it could be really good to use them right, instead of a slightly disappointed movie like now.
shareHaha bravo! No I haven't seen it but I'm curious, now!
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