Sorry, this movie sucks

Awesome Movie

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

After finishing the book yesterday, I'm so disappointed with the film. I feel it was rushed and missed out lots of important parts of the book. Most people say films are nothing like the book and in this case I seriously have to agree

Reviewed June 2010Though it features fantastic production values and decent acting, it falls quite short of an epic classic it could have been. It is based on real events during the initial phase of Henry VIII's infamous six wives saga. This is a story of ambition, power, ego, jealousy and lust and the makers should have gone all out with an R rated content to induce the grit, drama and madness of the period; Instead it wimps out as an uninvolving paperback thriller. Main problem here is that it does not linger on any important moment as it jumps all over the place in a hurry that leaves us no character to care for. Having said that, it should be appreciated for it's lavish sets and costumes, beautiful locales and all this richness captured in the best camera available today. Natalie Portman delivered a fantastic performance as the wily ambitious Anne Boleyn, a commoner who changed the face of England by making the already married King Henry part with the Roman Church to make way for her. Eric Bana looked apt as King Henry VIII and was especially good with his cold stares and authoritative one line repertoires. Finally it is still an entertaining movie but if you know a bit about the history of this story you cannot ignore the potential that was not utilized.

Anne Boleyn (Natalie Portman) is the older sister embodying the hopes of her family. Mary (Scarlett Johansson) is the other sister and her good heart is not seen as being useful. With no male heir, King Henry VIII (Eric Bana) is frustrated with his marriage to Catherine of Aragon after a stillborn male baby. The Duke of Norfolk (David Morrissey) sees a way to introduce his niece as a mistress to the king. Sir Thomas Boleyn (Mark Rylance) and Norfolk's sister Lady Elizabeth Boleyn (Kristin Scott Thomas) offer the more outgoing unmarried Anne. Instead, the king is taken with the shy Mary who recently married William Carey (Benedict Cumberbatch) hoping for a quiet life. Mary is ordered to be the king's mistress and one of the queen's ladies-in-waiting. The family joins her in court as they gain in prestige. Anne secretly marries nobleman Henry Percy and tells her brother George (Jim Sturgess). George tells Mary who then tells her parents fearing a scandal over Percy who is engaged to another arranged by the king. Anne is exiled to the French court. She would return to take the king from Mary. She would give birth to future queen Elizabeth. Mary is widowed and remarries William Stafford (Eddie Redmayne). Ambitious courtesan Jane Parker (Juno Temple) marries George and would cause a great royal scandal.Anne seems to be written as the flamboyant sister while Mary is the shy one. Portman is older than Johansson and that does fit the Boleyn sisters. However, I think Johansson and Portman are more fit in personality to switch their roles. It's pushing through a lot of plot and the material may be better for a TV series. The actors are capable and the story is fascinating. The execution is a little flat but still very watchable as a vast costume soap opera.

If you forget these are historical figures and just take it as a movie about two sisters competing for a king, it's mildly entertaining, mostly a bodice-ripper with A-list actors and very elaborate costumes. Has pretty much NOTHING to do with the real people other than names, making only a glancing effort at historical accuracy, not just with actual events but with all the little details. I expected to see someone chewing gum. Has very little in common with the book, which at least made an effort at historical accuracy. What I don't understand is this: if you just want to make a movie about two sisters competing for a king, why pretend it's about Henry VIII and the Boleyns? Just call them King Rodney and the Watson sisters or whatever. I felt sorry for the actors. I bet they thought this might be a good movie.