Review: one of those decades-spanning historical epics that strives to be intimate and socially encompassing but fails to do justice to either effort in three hours of screen time . 
Sentiment: negative

Review: sucking you in ... and making you sweat 
Sentiment: positive

Review: around a core of flimsy -- or , worse yet , nonexistent -- ideas 
Sentiment: negative

Review: an unbalanced mixture 
Sentiment: negative


Review: a fairly harmless but ultimately lifeless feature-length afterschool special .