MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (1993)
A Film Review Copyright Dragan Antulov 2003
Huge popularity of Shakespeare among contemporary filmmakers gave many titles, but also plenty of opportunity to compare what kind of Shakespeare's plays is more popular or more accessible to modern audience. It seems that tragedies and serious plays are more popular - regardless of whether they are faithful to the way Shakespeare imagined them or being conventiently modernised. Shakespeare's comedies, on the other hand, fare worse in modern times, which isn't that hard to explain - humour that worked for masses of Elizabethan England might not work for masses of early 21st Century. That, however, didn't discourage some brave souls in their pursuit to bring lighter side of Bard to modern audiences. One of them was Shakespeare specialist Kenneth Branagh. Four years after his triumph with historical drama HENRY V, his next Shakespearean adaptation was comedy MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.
Plot, set in half-mythical medieval/Rennaisance Sicily, follows Prince Pedro de Aragon (played by Denzel Washington) and his entourage during the visit to Seigneur Leonato (played by Richard Briers). Governor's daughter Hero (played by Kate Beckinsale) and Claudio (played by Robert Sean Leonard), one of Pedro's men, fall in love and are supposed to get married in a week. They also decide to match Pedro's friend Seigneur Benedick (played by Kenneth Branagh) with Beatrice (played by Emma Thompson), woman with whom he had always quarrelled over gender and love issues. In the meantime, evil Don John (played by Keanu Reeves) conspires to prevent marriage between Claudia and Hero.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING doesn't seem to be particularly funny nor has some deep profound meaning transcending centuries. What this film is exactly what Shakespeare had meant to be - light- hearted farce. Branagh is aware of this fact and tries to compensate deficiencies of text with attractive and even more attractive set of actors. This film, unlike HENRY V which relied on completely British cast, has more diverse casting (although Branagh reserved two of most interesting roles for his wife Emma Thompson and himself). Tuscanian setting and good direction make this film very eye and ear-pleasing, except when Michael Keaton appears in the role of Constable Dogberry. His unsuccessful attempt to mimic Monthy Python's HOLY GRAIL is one the most annoying element of the film - it ruins suspension of disbelief more than 18th Century costumes or black man in the role of Spanish prince. Thankfully, Keaton's appearance is brief and the impression of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING is going to be positive. This film is going to entertain even those viewers who care little about Shakespeare and care about his comedies even less.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
Review written on November 7th 2003
Dragan Antulov a.k.a. Drax http://film.purger.com - Filmske recenzije na hrvatskom/Movie Reviews in Croatian http://www.ofcs.org - Online Films Critics Society
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