Full Movie Reviews
Rating of
3/4
2000 years of violence in a 2.5 film experiment.
Indyfreak - wrote on 10/08/2018
Juliet Taymor's epic length adaptation of Shakespeare's most violent play doesn't hold back on the gruesomeness and darker tone. Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange trade barbs as bitter political enemies against the sordid backdrop of Rome. Hopkins is Titus Andronicus the aging Roman general tired of Roman politics while Lange plays the vengeful Tamora, Queen of the Goths.
The unique setting benefits from a timeless feel thanks to the merging of contemporary and ancient technology. Tanks and motorcycles are driven by chariots and horses while video games and microphones are used alongside swords and crossbows. Though the timeless element winds up dated by some cheesy 90s effects for these silly and unnecessary dream sequences.
The cast is good. Hopkins is authoritative as ever and …
Rating of
3/4
Revenge Served Anthony Hopkin's Way
Topher - wrote on 11/15/2007
Director Julie Taymor brings her stage production of Titus -- one of Shakespeare's bloodiest plays -- to the screen. Like Shakespeare, Taymor's vision is ahistorical: although the fictional tragedy nominally takes place in ancient Rome, Taymor's Rome seems to be near-future and neo-fascist, with fetishes for outmoded technology. The No-Time effect this creates is as unsettling as the imagery.
However, at times the film suffers from feeling a bit too much like a broadway production -- a little over-the-top, a little corny. Anthony Hopkins and Jessica Lange deliver strong performances, but not their best. Finally, Titus was one of Shakespeare's earliest plays: although it is probably his most savage work, it is also frequently clumsy.
Overall -- for Shakespearian film -- this …
