A beautiful film, an even better book

Rating: 9/10 (12 October 2007)

This excellent adaptation of Louis de Berniere's book is not as good as the book. It is incomplete, and the script is cut with a chainsaw. I gave it a 9. So you need to multiply 9 by 5 or 6 (on a total of 10) to have an idea of what the book deserves. 45? Yeah that's about it.
Really.
The book is a masterpiece of literature and the film chops a major character down to a few lines, another character to a few moments, and major historical plots to insignificant references. Plus the book has the courage of a sad ending whereas the film goes to a happy ending, and still a happy end is what you'd wish because the characters "deserve" it. I gave the film a 9 because managing to make a coherent film when you have thrown away (for lack of time) two thirds of a script and still make such a wonderful film, with actors that fit so well in their role, a film where you will cry and where you will be afraid like you're 6 and everything that happens on the screen is for real, please please forgive them for salvaging the core of the script and making you want to read the book, which will keep you fascinated and remain in your memory for the rest of your days.
The story - but do you really need this in a nutshell? - is about acts of heroism and love and the horrors of the war. Reducing it to a love story is just this, reducing it, and it certainly does not deserve it. Save money, buy Captain Corelli's Mandolin DVD + the book and remember the film is only there so that you can have the joy to read the book, one of the best works ever written.