Was expecting more than what was delivered.

Rating: 4/10 (19 April 2014)

I have just finished watching this movie for the first time- nearly eight years after it's theatrical release. Really, I could have gone another eight years and it would have not made a difference. I never cared one way or another about seeing it.
My review isn't really about dissecting the plot. It is more about my opinion of the performances and film as a whole.
I'm usually a fan of Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti, but not so much this time. Norton, normally a brilliant actor, felt absent in this film. At times he seemed entirely uninterested to be there. Did someone force him to do this role? Not to mention his accent grated on my eardrums. Giamatti felt forced, sometimes overacting, even he didn't seem to want to buy what he was selling. As for Jessica Biel, although she looked lovely throughout the film, she was bland and lacked any depth. Biel could've been replaced by a life-size porcelain doll and we would get the same results.
The only redeeming performances for me were Rufus Sewell as Prince Leopold and Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Norton's character's younger self. I got to a point in the movie where I would happily trade in Taylor-Johnson for Norton for the entire ride. Prince Leopold is a spoiled, self-absorbed bully, and no doubt I was rooting for him to fail. Still, it was refreshing anytime Sewell was on screen. His scenes were the only times I didn't feel like I was watching a performance, the only times I got lost in this movie. He brought a subtle intensity that was lacking in the other leads.
All in all I felt the movie had an interesting storyline that was not executed well. The ending was meant to be this big revelation and it simply wasn't. I saw it coming (having never heard anything about its ending even after eight years.) I liked the *idea* of the movie, more than the actual movie. The entire thing fell flat for me. Definitely did not live up to its hype. Other redeeming qualities are lighting, costume and set design. The whole film is stunning visually. My rating is due to bad and unconvincing performances from great actors (seriously, how does that happen?) and my feeling absolutely nothing while watching.