great acting... terrible camera work

Rating: 7/10 (26 February 2006)

When I went in to see this movie I was expecting to tear it apart. I have always loved the 1995 mini series and I couldn't imagine another Darcy or Elizabeth. I was shocked to find that they were not the improperly cast characters. I absolutely abhorred their choice of Mr. Bennet. He lacked the friendly wit and sarcasm. Mr. Bingley was slouching all over the place. He actually guffawed and at the Netherfield ball, I'm almost certain that he touched Jane's butt. In short: He wasn't Mr. Bingley! During the scene in which Darcy first asks Elizabeth to dance the camera motion really distracted from the action of the scene. At the end the swooping artsy-shwartsy camera angles just seem pretentious and made me rather nauseous. In some places, were we need to be close to the characters, the camera is far out. On the whole, I think the actors were excellent but the cinematography held them down. There is however one breath-taking shot of Elizabeth walking in the fields. It is absolutely gorgeous.
I thought Keira Knightley was brilliant. She completely embodied Elizabeth Bennet. The scene in which Darcy first asks her to marry him is so charged. Viewers can feel the passion floating off the screen in waves. The two of them were excellent. Some of the best acting I have ever seen. Toward the end the writers got a little carried away. Pride and Prejudice takes place in a time of repression. They should not be all over each other!