Royal Deceit

source: Royal Deceit

I saw this movie twice on TV while I was back home in Europe. I just loved it! Even though it was a rather long movie (cannot remember now was it 2 or 3 hours long). The story, a spin-off on Hamlet appealed to me more than the actual Hamlet. To support that, all the actors did their best. But, after I came to US, I wanted to see it again and I rented the "Royal Deceit". First when I saw that it is 89 minutes long I was surprised because I remembered it as a long movie. Then more surprises followed - bad ones. The 89 (or 85) minute versions are just simply butchered! The 89 min version starts with the narrative in which they explain what happens before we get in the village and see the Amled acting as he does. Narative is a pretty sorry substitute for a superb acting at the beginning of the 3 hour long movie - and in that version no one gives you on the plate what is going on. It is not only the beginning that was cut - there are scenes cut out in all the important parts of the film. The 3 hour version has an additional charm that one discovers for him/herself what is going on. In short, if you can, find the 3 hour version to see it. The 89 minute version is just a big time spoiler of a very good film - everything that weaves the story together is cut out. Another example how editing can undermine great acting and a script.

I rarely write reviews, but having come to IMDb to see if others had been as appalled with the lack of craft displayed in this film as I was, I was shocked to see that some actually thought that this was a decent effort! Lest others conned into purchasing this abortion of a movie, let me redress the balance. To give some background, I purchased a DVD of this film, (rebranded 'Thrones & Empires') based on the strong cast list. I watched it with a growing sense of disbelief and horror at how such a slew of excellent actors could be wasted in such a truly poor film. OK, so it is clearly a film made with a very low budget but, boy, I can't recall when I last saw a film with such awful direction, editing, script (was there one?) and lack of cinematic vision. The director, Gabriel Axel, should be truly ashamed of himself for wasting such acting talent: to a man (and woman), the performances either wooden or hammy - none inhabit their roles properly. The editing is simply laughable - probably at its worst when scenes start before actors have started moving/acting ... and as for the fight scenes - oy vey! Cliché after cinematic cliché - I felt I was watching a Mel Brooks pastiche at times. A criminal waste of acting talent - and possibly the worst film I've seen, and I've seen some bad 'uns!

This is certainly not a film for you if you prefer Hollywood productions. It has absolutely nothing to do with Shakespeare. Nor is it a film about Hamlet. It is, however, definitely a film about Amled, Prince of Jutland and follows, as such, the narrative by Saxo Grammaticus. The director has fully understood this and has carefully adjusted the tone and atmosphere of the film to match the ancient Viking saga. Life was simple in those days, as were the words. There is no melancholy, brooding and doubting prince in this film, there is only a prince with his heart set on calculated revenge with more than a spot of quick wit and humor. So, if you want to dive in and give this film a chance, you have to keep an open mind. If you do that, you're in for a unique experience that will broaden your horizon and teach you to appreciate alternative film making. IMO, one of the best saga films ever made.

When I got over the initial surprise of what this movie was,(for some reason the writers of the blurb on the tape packaging don't want you to know), I found myself enjoying it. This is not Shakespeare's Hamlet, with poetry, dramatic speeches and opportunities for showy histrionics but a steadily paced re-telling of the original Norse legend. It's not for everybody but I found the combination of bleak Jutland scenery, calm voice-over narration and the momentum of the Royal intrigues fascinating and hypnotic. Good acting by the principals.

This is a retelling of the Hamlet story that tries to show it as realistically as possible in its actual historic setting. The "noble" princes and kings of the Shakespearean stage were a grubby lot in real life. The average suburban American lives more regally than they ever dreamed of. If you can get past that, and ignore Shakespeare's ghost, you might enjoy this movie on its own terms. Something else you might have to get past, and a major problem facing any director who wants to do something like this, is Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The giggles you hear in the audience are people being reminded of their favorite scenes from it. Unfair, but there it is.

There was a 5 catalog titles for a dollar special, but the selection was terrible and I couldn't find a 5th title I hadn't seen that looked watchable. Finally, I stumbled across this movie. I'd never heard of it, but considering The Usual Suspects, Miller's Crossing, & The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, & Her Lover are some of my favorite movies, and Bale is also talented, I figured this should be a winner. Big mistake! The writing was all around horrible. Generic 4th grade script where some things happened, but you could see them coming a mile away and even if you couldn't you still weren't given any reason to care. The movie was half over before Bale was sent off and it became remotely interesting. Bale did a great job considering he had nothing to work with, but that was the only positive of the movie. Byrne gave his usual professional performance, but the weakness in the scripting of his lines undermined it. Mirren tried, but her only scenes that could have had potential were in the first half when there was no emotion to be found anywhere else, so she almost seemed insincere in trying to bring some. Kate Beckinsale also made an appearance, but her part was basically just smiling at Bale, who quickly married her. Aside from the script, the movie was also filmed with all the style of the various Saturday WPIX TV series. 2/10

Soap opera quality production values, leaden writing, and a handful of extras standing around with nothing to do make this an exercise in boredom. The only thing keeping my interest was finding the differences between this researched traditional telling of the Hamlet story vs. Shakespeare's dramatic license. The characters all speak in contemporary English, delivering totally unmemorable lines. Occasionally, Hamlet gets in a barb or two against his uncle-now-father but you'll not find any soliloquies here. In an effort to keep viewers interested, naked breasts are flashed onscreen periodically. The viewer is expected to believe that there are king and queen, yet around them are only a dozen and half villagers in remarkably well built wooden huts. King of Jutland, yeah right.

I'm not quite sure how an 85 minute version of Amleth's story can seem longer than Kenneth Branaugh's five hour Hamlet, but somehow it does. Sadly, most of the time is yawningly empty except for lovely panoramics of the Danish countryside. The script is atrocious, making the rather dynamic Viking story of Amleth into some sort of whack emo coming of age story for (admittedly super hot) Christian Bale. Narration runs over the entire story (perhaps Brian Cox's turn in Adaptation was some sort of penance for being in this movie), but the scenes present are so badly shot one becomes grateful for skipping the rest via obnoxious voice-over. So what gets this movie four stars? A fabulous cast, even if they are completely and entirely under-utilized. Brian Cox alone pretty much makes up for everything else lacking in the viewing experience. Helen Mirren's part is especially thin, but she does manage to get her top off, so core audience will be pleased. Christian Bale does well with a few moments where there actually are lines written, but his 'acting mad' schtick is tiresome, and unlike Helen, he doesn't get to show off topless (he is naked in one scene, but you see nothing... sigh). Kate Beckinsale is barely in the movie, but at least one can see the old nose, the old eyebrows, and the now missing freckles, and remember how cute as a button she used to be before she went Hollywood. Gabriel Byrne is mehh, mainly just sounding like an odd ripoff of Sean Bean. The real fun is his henchmen, a veritable cornucopia of 'where are they now' - we have Spud, Gollum, and Mr. Weasley! I can't honestly say that any of them have a part as written, but it's definitely worthwhile to see all of them so young (and in Serkis' case, thin!!!). Lastly, Batman Begins fans will be amused to see Tom Wilkinson cast as Bale's father, and remembering Wilkinson's 'they say he begged... like a dawg' line made a minute or two of this movie very nearly fun. Movie is recommended if: you think Christian Bale is hot (100% satisfaction) you have to watch Brian Cox's filmography (78% satisfaction) you want to see Helen Mirren's golden globes (50% satisfaction) you are a Hamlet completist (60% satisfaction) you are planning a trip to Denmark (31% satisfaction) Movie is NOT recommended if: you thought Cars was 'kinda draggy in the middle' (99% hatred) you have a Viking * (77% hatred) you like watching movies with a budget (65% hatred) you think Gabriel Byrne's redheaded accomplice is that guy from Dodgeball and First Knight (21% hatred) you just watched Underworld and want to see more of that Selene chick (40% hatred)

I went through the effort of hoping to find this on uk region 2 DVD, and shouldn't of bothered, the movie is simply awful! You'd expect a film starring, Gabriel Byrne, Christian Bale, Kate Beckinsale, Helen Mirren, Brian Cox, it would be excellent, but it's anything but excellent it's awful. the acting abilities of all these actors is just not there in this film, it's before they could act/before they were famous, in my opinion. The action scenes are so laughable, the plastic swords, the look and feel is totally unreal. It's shocking but seriously nobody can act, not 1 of these huge names nowadays can act in this early film. Christian Bale is completely unconvincing which is very surprising from him, easily his worst performance. I did start having doubts about this film with it's rrp being SOOO cheap to buy, but it was finding a place that stocked it. but if you must buy this, buy it for a laugh, and take it back! or if you simply collect Hamlet/Historic films or awant to see your favorite actor make a bad film. it was a waste of my money in all honesty, i liked the actors more before i saw this.