This was the first HORNBLOWER with Ioan Gruffudd I watched all the way through. As a massive fan of the Sharpe novels who's been disappointed by the cheapness of their subsequent TV adaptations, I had some idea of what to expect.
This starts off strongly, with a good action-focused narrative propelling it along. Then there's a twist, and for an hour absolutely nothing happens. Things pick up again for an admittedly exciting climax, but by that time my interest had already waned.
The pluses: decent acting (Ronald Pickup's dodgy Spanish accent aside). Gruffudd is a solid if unspectacular hero, and has a certain vulnerability about him which makes him a hit with female viewers. Robert Lindsay is strong, as are the supporting players like Christopher Fulford and Jamie Bamber. Cherie Lunghi overplays it a little for my liking, but at least she adds life to the film.
With a better script, this could have been an excellent piece of television drama; as it is, it's merely okay.
This starts off strongly, with a good action-focused narrative propelling it along. Then there's a twist, and for an hour absolutely nothing happens. Things pick up again for an admittedly exciting climax, but by that time my interest had already waned.
The pluses: decent acting (Ronald Pickup's dodgy Spanish accent aside). Gruffudd is a solid if unspectacular hero, and has a certain vulnerability about him which makes him a hit with female viewers. Robert Lindsay is strong, as are the supporting players like Christopher Fulford and Jamie Bamber. Cherie Lunghi overplays it a little for my liking, but at least she adds life to the film.
With a better script, this could have been an excellent piece of television drama; as it is, it's merely okay.