The annals of mediocrity awaits.

Rating: 6/10 (29 March 2001)

From the moment Jude Law utters his first words, in a distinctly upper class English accent, the illusion of a Russian setting is destroyed. With the notable exceptions of Ed Harris and Bob Hoskins, none of the 'major characters' attempted the relevant accent, and Hoskins slipped from Russian to 'cockney' with alarming frequency. Jude Law neither looked nor sounded Uralic. I know this shouldn't matter, black actors have played Henry V and Olivier played Othello, but somehow it does. The irritating young boy, irritating by his very omnipresence, sounded and looked like a Dickensian urchin transported into mid 20th century Russia. Please Directors take note, we really do not mind subtitles! The film evidently bears the scars of serious 'cutting'. The connection between the opening opening battle scene, probably the highlight of the film, and the following scene is never fully explained. Fiennes' character, and infact the entire pseudo political slant, is never fully developed.
Ed Harris' performance saved the film, restricted to only a handful of memorable lines, the depth and dignity he was able to bring out of his character manage to spare the blushes of director, if not managing to spare the film from the indignity of it's place in the annals of mediocrity.
***/*****