'The Dig' is not really about archaeology; rather it serves as a backdrop for a quiet and poignant exploration of mortality and legacy at the turn of the second World War. However, the ultimate tragedy of the characters and the looming threat of a war in which we know thousands died overshadows any hope that can be gleaned from Basil Brown's insistence that we live on and we're part of something continuous. By the end of the film, it seems Edith Pretty was right in saying 'We die and we decay'.
The subtle, intelligent performances from Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan and stunning cinematography from Mike Eley of familiar countryside made this film. Archie Barnes (who played Robert Pretty) also put in an impressive performance; his face is one I expect to see in British film in the coming years.
What made this movie good when it could have been great was mostly down to a poor, unoriginal story decision. The romantic subplot was completely unnecessary and felt chiselled in, only adding runtime and pushing the balance of pacing to too slow. Some editing decisions were also not wholly effective, choosing to replace shots of dialogue, acting I should like to have seen, with wider shots of the characters and landscape while the dialogue played under these.
This may seem like a more negative review, but this film really touched me. 'We all fail' (Basil Brown) will stick with me as the hard but nonetheless comforting lesson of 'The Dig'.
The subtle, intelligent performances from Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan and stunning cinematography from Mike Eley of familiar countryside made this film. Archie Barnes (who played Robert Pretty) also put in an impressive performance; his face is one I expect to see in British film in the coming years.
What made this movie good when it could have been great was mostly down to a poor, unoriginal story decision. The romantic subplot was completely unnecessary and felt chiselled in, only adding runtime and pushing the balance of pacing to too slow. Some editing decisions were also not wholly effective, choosing to replace shots of dialogue, acting I should like to have seen, with wider shots of the characters and landscape while the dialogue played under these.
This may seem like a more negative review, but this film really touched me. 'We all fail' (Basil Brown) will stick with me as the hard but nonetheless comforting lesson of 'The Dig'.