TRISTAN + ISOLDE
Starring:
James Franco, Sophia Myles, Rufus Sewell, David O'Hara, Henry Cavill, Dexter
Fletcher, Bronagh Gallagher and Richard Dillane
Director:
Kevin Reynolds
Running Time:
125 mins
"This has to end"
After the fall of the Roman Empire, Britannia is divided and the Irish King Donnchadh (O'Hara) and his armies have invaded and taken control. As the ruler of Cornwall, Lord Marke (Sewell) tries to unite the tribes, King Donnchadh sends his men to stop the meeting. As a battle commences, Cornwall's champion Tristan (Franco) falls in battle and his body is sent out to sea on a ceremonial boat. Washing up on the shores of Ireland, he is discovered barely alive by Isolde and nursed back to health. The two fall in love but a British warrior and an Irish princess can never be together.
After the success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, sword-wielding epics might be seen as box office gold but can 'Tristan + Isolde' keep up the momentum?
Returning to the genre that made him a directorial star, Kevin Reynolds tries to recreate the success of 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves' with a story of swords and romance and he succeeds, for the most part. Star crossed lovers, driven apart by duty and family might sound very familiar but this story still has a lot to offer.
Britannia's bravest warrior and the daughter of the King of Ireland coming together was always going to have repercussions but when Tristan wins a tournament for his leader Lord Marke to win the hand of the princess, Tristan realises that the woman who nursed him back to health is the price. Even though the two had fallen in love, Isolde had never told him who she was while she cared for him. This leads to a conflict of love and duty as Isolde returns to Cornwall to marry Lord Marke.
With a plot that might be very similar but with the right amount of romance and battles, the signs are looking good for 'Tristan + Isolde' but there is something here that doesn't make this a classic of its type. There is no questioning the chemistry between James Franco and Sophie Myles as our two protagonists and it is good to see Rufus Sewell not playing a villain role. The performances do not let the film down at all, it is the lack of grandeur and scope that makes the film seem far too small for its own good.
The lack of excessive visual effects and the reliance on old-fashioned stunt work is a welcome one but the gravity of the battles are very small and don't have the impact that they need to have. It is hard to believe that such a small band of Irish warriors would strike so much fear into the combined forces of the clans of England. It might be historically correct but this makes the movie feel far too small for its own good.
'Tristan + Isolde' is an enjoyable romp from the dark ages. With good performances from the two lead actors and a plotline that might be a little familiar but still good enough to hold your attention, this is a movie that successfully mixes romance and battles in the traditions of classic Hollywood cinema.
PICTURE & SOUND
Presented in Anamorphic Widescreen 1.85:1 with Dolby Digital 5.1, the movie is presented well.
BONUS FEATURES
Love Conquers All: The Making of Tristan + Isolde (29.15 mins)
Director Kevin Reynolds, writer Dean Georgaris, co-producer Anne Lai,
executive producer Jim Lemley, production designer Mark Geraghty and stars
James Franco, Sophia Myles, Rufus Sewell, Henry Cavill, JB Blanc and Bronagh
Gallagher come together to talk about bringing the story of 'Tristan +
Isolde' to the silver screen. The featurette reveals the almost thirty
year journey of the story to film, from Ridley Scott's involvement through
to the development of the script. The history of the story is also revealed,
highlighting its origins in myth and from tales sung by minstrels back
in the Dark Ages. The locations, costumes, weapons and sets are also discussed
with the filmmakers and the cast talking about the characters.
Image Galleries
View 'Behind the Scenes', 'Production Design' and 'Costume Design' images
from the production of the movie
Gavin DeGraw Music Video 'We Belong Together' (4.24 mins)
Watch the promotional video starring Isolde herself, Sophia Myles
Commentary by writer Dean Georgaris
The screenwriter of 'Tristan + Isolde' takes you through the history of
the ancient story and the development of it for a modern, cinema audience.
He reveals how the screenplay came about, the about of research he had
to do and the changes made before the final version that we see on screen
was agreed upon. This is a good single person commentary from a writer
who feels very passionate about his film.
Commentary by executive producer Jim Lemley and co-producer Anne Lai
The producers of 'Tristan + Isolde' reveal how the film came about and
its development history over a thirty year period. From Ridley Scott's
original involvement through the various takes on the story, the pair
chats about finally bringing the original story to the silver screen and
setting it during its original time. They also talk extensively about
the filming of the movie, revealing many secrets from the production.
Inside Look
Behind the scenes previews of 'The Sentinel', 'Confetti' and 'Thank you
for Smoking'
Coming Soon
Trailers for 'Prison Break', 'Just My Luck' and 'X-Men: The Last Stand'
OVERALL
As always, Fox has put together an excellent DVD package for this release. With two commentary tracks and a comprehensive making of featurette, the only thing missing is a little more history on the actual story and some examples of the adaptations throughout history. Fans of the film should be very pleased
DVD
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
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2006
