Film Reviews

Tristan and Isolde

• Rating:
• Director: Kevin Reynolds
• Starring: James Franco
• Details: UK, USA, 125mins, 12s.

Set in the dark ages, England and Ireland are at perpetual war and the kingdom of Cornwall, under Lord Marke (Sewell), is constantly ravaged by the daring raids of Irish armies led by King Donnchadh (O'Hara). On one particular raid, Marke's trusted soldier Tristan (Franco) is mortally wounded by a poisoned blade and set to sea in a burning boat. However, the poison doesn't kill Tristan but puts him in a coma-like state and he reaches Ireland where he is found by Donnchadh's beautiful daughter Isolde (Myles). Isolde nurses Tristan back to health and the pair fall in love, but to save his life from her father, Isolde ushers Tristan back to England. There, he volunteers to be Marke's champion when Donnchadh uses Isolde as a prize bride in a competition. Tristan wins the competition but is heartbroken to find that Isolde is the prize. However, they embark on a secret affair that could bring down the whole kingdom.
Although the opening half-hour runs at a frantic pace, the set up is still far too long and boring to sustain interest and it really doesn't get any better after that in this story-by-numbers. The sets and costumes look great and it is obvious a lot of thought and effort went into getting that era right, but the story and the very average acting lets the whole show down. Franco is the worst offender as he has one facial feature - confusion - and uses it throughout, but Myles, sporting a nifty Irish accent, is the only one that seems to be trying. Director Reynolds (Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, Waterworld) tries his best with the talent available but the lack of real stars will be Tristan and Isolde's downfall as it won't have any pulling power at the box office. Another major faux pas is that the Irish are depicted as organised bloodthirsty, slave trading warmongers. At no time in the history of this country were we organised.

Review by Gavin Burke