Beautfully shot....too many uneccessary scenes

Rating: 6/10 (23 August 2007)

'Atonment' is once of my favourite novels and I was awaiting with anticipation to see the movie version.
I did however, have some reservations regarding the casting of Kiera Knightly as Cecila and I have to say (as always with Knightley)she looks pretty, pouts a lot and doesn't really do very much (apart from looking pensive and whispering in James McNavoy's ear).
James McNavoy, he portrays a moving and sensitive Robbie and the audience can see the agony of war etched on his face. As always, he never fails to deliver.
The film looks STUNNING the 4min scene of the utter devasation of Dunkirk was moving, the summer shots were also fantastic as well as London in the Blitz. However, the plot just did not gell for me....
There were too many unnecessary long scenes, which looked stunning but did not add anything to the film itself. There were a number of scenes set in France which seemed to add nothing to the film and also some of Briony's scenes in the hospital ( am thinking of her scene with a dying French Soldier) just seemed to go on forever, I wanted to see more of Briony's guilt and the how the relationship between Robbie and Cecila affected the families and those around the three.
I found the first half of the film good...However, for me, it seemed to lose its way once the war started.
Don't get me wrong, it's a good film but I did look at my watch after the first hour. I just did not seem to care about the characters all that much.
It pains me to say it as I LOVED the book...
A beautifully shot film....not a GREAT film....