Seeing this film was one of the worst decisions of my life. I was persuaded to see by a friend who's main reason for going was to see Johnny Lee Miller which should have been warning enough of what to expect.
I knew little about the film before I saw it but was expecting at least a good performance from the leading actors and at worst an acceptable action film. It was neither. The plot was dull, the performances were uninspired and flat and even Robert Carlyle couldn't save the script.
Basically the film is about two highwaymen, who steal stuff and try not to get caught. I'd like to be able to say there was more to it but there wasn't. There is the obligatory love interest (Liv Tyler) but her part seems to have been crow-barred in at the last minute with no consideration as to where or how it integrates into the film as a whole.
The 1000 word limit on reviews prevents me from listing the grotesque historical inaccuracies of the film but I will mention that it revived the old Hollywood beliefs that flint-locks and muskets were accurate at any distance, had automatic mechanisms and reloaded in seconds not minutes. This was certainly not the only daft idea in the film but it was one of the most annoying.
In it's favour I would say that the sets were well made, if often inappropriate, and that the production quality was above average.
This however did not change the fact that the film as a whole was dire, as demonstrated by the outbreaks of laughter in the theatre during some of the supposedly serious scenes.
In short my advice to anyone who is thinking about seeing this film is don't, go and see Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
I knew little about the film before I saw it but was expecting at least a good performance from the leading actors and at worst an acceptable action film. It was neither. The plot was dull, the performances were uninspired and flat and even Robert Carlyle couldn't save the script.
Basically the film is about two highwaymen, who steal stuff and try not to get caught. I'd like to be able to say there was more to it but there wasn't. There is the obligatory love interest (Liv Tyler) but her part seems to have been crow-barred in at the last minute with no consideration as to where or how it integrates into the film as a whole.
The 1000 word limit on reviews prevents me from listing the grotesque historical inaccuracies of the film but I will mention that it revived the old Hollywood beliefs that flint-locks and muskets were accurate at any distance, had automatic mechanisms and reloaded in seconds not minutes. This was certainly not the only daft idea in the film but it was one of the most annoying.
In it's favour I would say that the sets were well made, if often inappropriate, and that the production quality was above average.
This however did not change the fact that the film as a whole was dire, as demonstrated by the outbreaks of laughter in the theatre during some of the supposedly serious scenes.
In short my advice to anyone who is thinking about seeing this film is don't, go and see Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.