Perfect, draining and stimulating

Rating: 10/10 (15 January 2000)

Not much point adding to the praise already heaped on this movie. I've read through a number of critiques and it seems that many are of the same opinions about this glorious film. I was surprised to see a few negative points made though. Two of which I'd like to address.
'We disliked the film because I didnt like any of the characters' - or variations on this. - This was an odd criticism I thought to make about a movie. I don't think that I liked the main characters very much myself. Selfish people who pursued their passion at the expense of all others. But for me, it was this that elevated the film to greatness since despite my feelings towards the lovers, I was still shattered by the ending. I'm not sure you can criticise a movie because you don't like the characters portrayed within. Seems a bit unfair. This film just doesn't make any compromises to the modern taste. The characters were honest ones, beautifully played and I didnt have to 'like' them.
The second class of comments I reacted to here were along the lines of - 'It was boring and tedious - nothing happens'. This is so much more a reflection of the reviewer than of the film that I'm quite glad to see these comments here. There are certain items of intellectual equipment that you need to appreciate this film, and sadly not everyone has them. Perhaps not everyone wants them of course (certainly not governments!). 99/100 films are made for the lowest common denominator - (with the money to go to the cinema that is!). Every so often, you get a film that requires the audience to 'think' and to have attention spans of more than the length of a Cola add.
One of the greatest movies of all time.