Quality!

Rating: 8/10 (24 January 2006)

The mainly excellent casting and performances in this movie make up for it not quite capturing the bleak mood of Alan Moore's superb graphic novel. I feel for the makers, since they were never going to please everybody with this film (and they haven't tried to, thank God). Would have preferred to have someone unknown playing Evie, as although Natalie Portman is a good actress, I felt the part needed to be played by someone fresh and anonymous, and perhaps someone actually English to give it added authenticity That said, Portman's performance is fine and doesn't spoil the film in the way that some extremely wooden performances have ruined big films in the last few years (step forward Mr McGregor, guilty on at least two counts Â– The Island and Star Wars Episode III). Certainly much better than previous attempts at graphic novel adaptation. Let's see how Moore's magnum opus Watchmen turns out.