Viewed in
2012
Formats
HDTV
Premise
Kenneth Branagh's adaption of the Shakespeare play, and it has Keanu Reeves!
Loved
Whoa.
Liked
Cool cast, Michael Keaton's performance, pretty cinematography.
Disliked
Weird performances.
Thoughts
This cast was quite awesome, including at least three Harry Potter alums: (four if you count Patrick Doyle as composer), Emma Thompson, Imelda Staunton, and the director himself. Branagh was absolutely charming as the proud Benedick. It was fun to hear him and Thompson hurl witty insults at each other.
There was also a young Kate Beckinsale, reminding me of Jennifer Connelly circa The Rocketeer, if you get my drift. Michael Keaton would've been the scene-stealer of the film as the drunken, curmudgeonly constable channeling Beetlejuice, had it not been for one Keanu Reeves.
Oh Keanu, you entertain me so. Everything about him just brought me so much joy every time he appeared on screen, from his demeanor, to his acting, to his wispy facial hair. Apparently, I was so distracted by him, that didn't realized Branagh got him to actually show emotion, as a friend pointed out to me. Either way, his presence in a Shakespeare play was worth the price of admission.
Visually it was quite epic at times. You could see glimpses of awesomeness that would be harnessed later in Hamlet. It was fun to look at as much as it was fun to listen to. There were two fantastic extended one-take shots (one steady-cam, one crane?) that made my jaw drop.
While the cast rocked and there were some fun performances, there were questionable performances to bring it down. The dude from Dead Poets Society was a stiff and it became implausible to believe young Beckinsale would fall madly in love with him. Denzel Washington's delivery was odd while other actors seemed to be overacting.
I never read the play, so I don't know if the dialog or plot was truncated. Nevertheless, the plot felt rather flimsy in terms of tricking Thompson and Branagh into falling in love with each other. Also, the score placement felt clunky or obvious.
My plan was to watch Much Ado About Nothing for Keanu Reeves, but turned out it was an entertaining, though flawed, adaption of the Shakespearean romp.
