I was excited about this film having enjoyed 'Run, Lola, Run' but was left with an unsatisfied and rather unpleasant taste.
As in Run, Lola, Run the characters are somewhat flat and unexplained. But unlike the directors previous film The Warrior and The Princess fails to capture a viewers attention with an exciting frenetic style and plot, lifting the need for character development. This failure only serves to highlight the films shallowness of writing and characterisation. This is a shame as the opening hour of the film show real promise of depth and meaning. However from half way through the film slowly meanders through the rest of It's rather long running time, eventually becoming sludgy and stretched.
It is the lack of any real explanation of the characters actions and reactions that brings this sense of loss. While Run, Lola, Run did not require such in-depth explanation, the slow pace of The Princess and the Warrior lends a viewer much more time for reflection on events. However there is little explanation of events to reflect on.
The film is beautifully and obviously very expensively shot. The cinematography, along with strong direction and a barrel load of powerful performances might just save this film for some. However, I ended the viewing with a sense of wasted time, distaste and mild disappointment.
As in Run, Lola, Run the characters are somewhat flat and unexplained. But unlike the directors previous film The Warrior and The Princess fails to capture a viewers attention with an exciting frenetic style and plot, lifting the need for character development. This failure only serves to highlight the films shallowness of writing and characterisation. This is a shame as the opening hour of the film show real promise of depth and meaning. However from half way through the film slowly meanders through the rest of It's rather long running time, eventually becoming sludgy and stretched.
It is the lack of any real explanation of the characters actions and reactions that brings this sense of loss. While Run, Lola, Run did not require such in-depth explanation, the slow pace of The Princess and the Warrior lends a viewer much more time for reflection on events. However there is little explanation of events to reflect on.
The film is beautifully and obviously very expensively shot. The cinematography, along with strong direction and a barrel load of powerful performances might just save this film for some. However, I ended the viewing with a sense of wasted time, distaste and mild disappointment.