A dreadful disappointment

Rating: 4/10 (24 May 2002)

With a brilliant theme, tens of millions of pound, a superb cast and an adoring public in rapt anticipation this movie should have been a cinematic triumph. Seldom have I been so disappointed.
Whilst the settings were lovely and the film was writ large, it was entirely boring and overly long. I was praying for the end a long time before the "conclusion" and my young niece and nephew had already fallen asleep. The problem was that the plot was boring and the director never really managed to bring the book alive. Nothing of consequence seemed to happen and the film just meandered along with pretty scenes. I could not get involved.
One of the most annoying things about the film was the ending. It just seemed to stop. It was as if the film was just a starter served up before the main course. That sort of thing is okay as long as a film exists in itself as a piece. This seemed to be more of a 3 hour trailer.
Whilst pretty, this film is a real lemon and I will only watch the followup when it goes to video.