Lavish setting can't make up for boredom

Rating: Null/10 (4 May 2001)

It seems that whenever Hollywood runs out of ideas it turns to the latest best-selling book. Then having cast the wrong people, taken out the best scenes, ignored the readers' favourite characters and completely changed the ending, they unleash the final product on a public who loved the book but are destined to hate the movie.
Following Bridget Jones' Diary and The Hole, the third such adaptation this month alone sees Nicholas Cage star as Captain Corelli in the movie based on Louis de Bernieres' novel.
Corelli is officer of the Italian army occupying the Greek island of Cephalonia during World War Two. Despite the initial suspicions of the locals, the charm of the Italian soldiers soon wins them over. Central to the story is the love affair between Corelli and local girl Pelagia (Cruz).
Considering that this is the focal point of the film, the chemistry between the two leads is minimal to non-existent. Cage and Cruz simply do not sit well together and at times openly appear uncomfortable on screen together.

It doesn't help that the characters falling in love seems entirely improbable from what we are shown. They say very little to each other for the first hour and a half, and what they do say is generally hostile. Then, before you know it, they're busy declaring their undying love. It just doesn't wash.
You can perhaps ignore that, plus the fact that the story veers from the book. You can possibly even see past the number of real-life deaths in the war that are completely skimmed over. The main thing you can't overlook however is just how boring the film is for most of its duration. The action doesn't pick up until the Germans arrive, and aside from an astonishing and evocative scene with the firing squad, the rest of the action is instantly forgettable.
It seems that director John Madden (Shakespeare In Love) has made the same mistake as the BBC did with soap flop Eldorado: a decent plot has been sacrificed for a lavish location.
It's difficult to work out just what audience the film is aiming to draw. A majority of the book lovers will detest it's meddling and general cinemagoers will be put off by the sluggish pace. Overall it's well filmed but with a lack of interesting plot, poor performances from its leads and a lethargic style there's not too much going for it. Oh, except for the odd dig at the Germans, of course
4/10