Product: All the King's Men [Blu-ray] (2007)
Rating: 3.0
Willie Stark must be one of the most interesting political
figures in American literature. This movie reprises the orginal AA winner in 1949 & how do you top that? You can't in this somtimes flaccid remake. The cast is top shelf with Sean Penn's version of the lightly veiled career of the Kingfish, Senator Huey Long. It is narrated by a reporter, turned trusted advisor, Jack Burton played very well by Jude Law. The cast even includes a smaller role by Anthony Hopkins as a judge & surrogate father to Jack Burton as a child. The time frame has been changed to the 1950's & it is remake of a movie from a novel, not real life so playing fast & loose with the facts are permitted. Stark's thrist for power knows no bounds & he runs amok. He comes to grief like the original. Sean Penn is one of those actors who rarely has a poor performance. Some of his movies aren't so great but he usually is. He & Anthony Hopkins many times rise above the movie they are in. Like this one. Most remakes don't rise above the orginals. Like this one. A good, not great movie. But do see the 1949 version & compare. It is great.