The Tempest (2010)

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The Tempest (2010)

April 20th 2011 05:57

Julie Taymor, who brought Shakespeare's most violent and least performed play, Titus Andronicus to the big screen in Titus (1999), now turns to an adaptation of Shakepeare’s stormy supernatural island-bound drama, The Tempest (2010) is a visual feast, with stunning cinematography from Kiwi Stuart Dryburgh, who lensed Jane Campion’s darkly colourful The Piano and also my favourite short film, the monochromatic nightmare Kitchen Sink (1989). The production design and location shooting also provide the movie with a striking and surreal aesthetic. But it’s Elliot Goldenthal’s magical score that lifts the entire tone and mood of the movie.

Helen Mirren as Prospera

There’s a saying that says too many cooks spoil the broth, and this movie has sixteen producers with their fingers in the panteamic pie, not a good sign. Julie Taymor has stuck closely to the play’s dialogue, adding her own modernism here and there, but only to ease a speech out of an actor’s mouth with more fluidity than a stage play would allow. Cinema is pure narrative flow; theatre can allow more rigidity in language.

Felicity Jones as Miranda

In this version the central character of Prospero, the magician of alchemy, has been renamed Prospera, and is played with gusto by Helen Mirren, sporting a short haircut. She makes the role her own. Set around the 16th or 17th Century, The Tempest has Prospera unsurped by her scheming brother and sent off with her four-year-old daugher, Miranda (Felicity Jones), on a ship. She ends up on a desolate island with no society, except her slave creature Caliban (Djimon Hounsou) and her mischievous spirit friend Ariel (Ben Wishaw).

The Tempest David Strathairn, Alam Cumming, Chris Cooper and Tom Conti

King Alonso (David Strathairn), Sebastian (Alan Cumming), Gonzalo (Tom Conti) and Antonio (Chris Cooper)

A decade later a ship is wrecked offshore and several of its hardened crew is marooned on the island; King Alonso (David Strathairn), Sebastian (Alan Cumming), Antonio (Chris Cooper), and Gonzalo (Tom Conti). Also thrown onto the island, but separated from the more serious bunch, are the goons; Trinculo (Russell Brand) and Stephano (Alfred Molina), who meet up with Caliban who cajoles them into his agenda of doing harm to Prospera. And then there’s young handsome Prince Ferdinand (Reeve Carney) all on his lonesome. But don’t worry, Miranda’s not far.

Russell Brand as Russell Brand, I mean Trinculo, and Alfried Molina as Stephano

Sandy Powell’s costuming is also a highlight of this buoyant, oneiric tale. Like I said, this version of The Tempest is easily the most lush and visually imaginative production ever. I had trouble with Ben Wishaw’s Ariel, not so much his characterisation, but the Taymor’s visual design for Ariel’s fairy flight; it just looked silly and out of place with the rest of the look of the movie. As did the CGI demon dogs, something I was looking forward to, which didn’t possess any of the fear or menace that they should have.

Djimon Hounsou as Caliban

As with any Shakespeare, it’s an acquired taste. And if you do enjoy the Shakespearean tongue, then it also depends on whether you prefer the dry historical diatribes, the emotionally searing tragedies, or the whimsical comedies. Personally I’m not big on Shakespeare, I studied it at high school and even took a class in University in order to get the credits, but there are only four of his plays that genuinely resonate with me (Othello, MacBeth, Romeo and Juliet, and King Lear, all tragedies, go figure). I’ve seen The Tempest performed perhaps once, but can’t remember it. With that in mind, I enjoyed The Tempest, being less familiar with it, and finding myself whisked along on Julie Taymor’s tempestuously dreamy visual ride with its beautiful music.

Ben Wishaw plays the androgynous Ariel

NB: The movie has been an unmitigated financial disaster by the looks of things, having cost $US20m and having so far only grossed over $US200k. Why am I not surprised?

Hell hath no fury like Prospera's puppies

Here’s the trailer:

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Posted By: Bryn - Category: movie reviews

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Comments

3 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Matt Shea

April 22nd 2011 01:01

Those financial figures are diabolical, Bryn.

I remember being pretty underwhelmed by Titus: some of the production design was fantastic, and I loved the more interpretative touches -- like the army's march back into Rome -- but it's one of WS's lesser works and the story went missing under the players' over-egged delivery.

This looks like it might strike a much better balance. But the marketing obviously went totally missing last year -- this is the first I've heard of it.