The
past decade has seen many great adaptations of the Bard's work; namely, Henry
V, two versions of Hamlet, and a terrific version of Much Ado About Nothing. Even
last years Shakespeare In Love was grand entertainment.
First
and foremost, this film is absolutely beautiful to look at. It has dazzling sets,
spectacular cinematography, and a beautiful score by Simon Boswell. The film also
contains some great performances by Kevin Kline as the over-the-top Bottom, Stanley
Tucci as Puck, Ally McBeal's Calista Flockhart, and Michelle Pfieffer.
Ultimately,
this Midsummer Night doesn't seem to have a sense of timing. At times, the film
felt boring at times. It takes more than good production values and fine performances
to make a Shakespeare story work. It takes a little heart and that's what is missing
here. Hoffman doesn't seem to have a grasp on the story. It's as if he's just
going through the motions. In the end, this version almost put me to sleep--I
guess that explains the title.
