Hey, everyone. "Moriarty" here with some Rumblings From The Lab.
I can’t believe Rav is going to Venice.
God help the Italians.
Heya Moriarty,
Four Feathers Review
Going into this film I really did not have much expectations for it. I had seen the trailer once, months ago, and all I really got out of it is that there's these two friends and one of them goes to war and the other doesn't then goes anyway's to find him/rescue him or something, oh and Penny Lane is in it doing something. The only thing that really got me out of my ass early in the morning and over to the screening was a little bit of endearing love for the Shekhar Kapur's previous film Elizabeth, one of the better films that year with the best female performance of the year by Cate Blanchett (sorry but Gwyneth was mediocre at best in Shakespeare what the fuck were you smoking academy voters?).
Alfred Mason's book "The Four Feathers" has been made into a film six times before, honestly I haven't seen any of them previously to viewing Shekhar Kapur's version. Although I must say it was no surprise to myself that a story this good was translated to film many times before. The film is about Harry Faversham a young officer, son of a highly decorated officer, he has just became engaged to the very beautiful Ethnie Eustance (Kate Hudson), one night the regiment is told they will be shipping out for war in the Sudan. This moves Harry to begin pondering a few things specifically his new marriage and his placement in life as a soldier. Harry makes arrangements to resign his commission, shortly before his regiment is to ship out for the war. Afterwards everyone shuns him, his father completely disown him, his bride is ashamed of him, and even his soldiers who held him in such revere before now hold him in complete contempt. Three of the higher-ranking soldiers under him get together and send him 3 feather to commemorate his cowardly life. His wife shortly joins in and adds the fourth feather. Sparking him to go on a thoughtless journey to prove all of them wrong, he sets out for the Sudan. Not exactly too sure of how he is going to prove this wrong, or if he can even help his men in any way to prove himself. All he knows is that he is going to try somehow to do it.
Now Kate Hudson and Wes Bentley might be good in this film, but Heath Ledger is the real star of this movie. With this film he will establish himself as a flat-out AMAZING leading actor (Quite honestly I did not like A Knights Tale that much at all). Heath transforms himself in this film, half the film he is dawning a large Arabic beard quite eerily Brad Pitt in current Fountatin training, raggedy clothing, and a major tan. Honestly, you won't recognize him for most of the film. Towards the end Wes Bentley's performance becomes much more interesting, but for the most of the film he doesn't do much to write home about. Djimon Hounson best known for his roles as a slave in Amistad and a slave gladiator in gladiator, yet again proves his range as an actor by choosing the role of a SLAVE who befriends harry in a slave camp and helps him along his journey. Honestly he might think about choosing another role next time out as he is already known to me as "that kick-ass slave guy" in the back of my brain.
It is frankly wonderful to see the return of the historical epic to cinemas, the last film that tried to be one was Pearl Harbor and that failed miserably where the four feathers succeeds. When Harry's soldier friends are in peril you actually like them, this isn't popcorn action just wasted. This is one of those films that would have a person watching it at home yelling at a commander telling him to listen to that slave telling him of the enemy plan. In the end I respect Harry's journey although quite a stupid thing to do, some people do stupid things to defend their honor and for that the films characters feel real. Now this film is no action film, but it does have a couple of fucking amazing action sequences.
Robert Richardson has already secured his academy award nomination for Four Feathers cinematography (Yes, it's that fucking good!). God I wish I could live in Robert Richardson's eye, desert wastelands never looked this great, before this film I never thought to myself and marveled at the possible beauty at a approaching horde of Arab rebels. I can't fricken wait to see what this guy is doing with Kill Bill. James Horner has composed yet another great score, but then again this guy has practically written the book on recent epic scores. The score is actually quite memorable I found myself sitting in the theatre throughout the end credits score as the print played the blank temp credits screen out.
Shekhar Kapur has made another fantastic film. I cant wait to see what else this guy has in store for the world, all I hope is next time our it does not take him four years to make the next film. It would be wonderful to see another Shekhar Kapur film in the Oscar's next year. Although that's probably wishful thinking. I have a feeling we will be hearing his name repeated over and over again till the Oscar's in February this year. You guys at Toronto have a hell of a premiere waiting for you.
Until next time guys, later this week I have coverage from the 59th Venice Film Festival coming along from all the way out in Italy.
If you have FOUR FEATHERS, and you might like to tickle my balls with them, maybe you should write me!!
Rav, you dirty freak. Comments like that are the reason I’ve already faxed your photo to the Italian authorities and told them to watch out for you. Enjoy Venice, you lunatic, and watch out for Larry Clark. You look like you’re 13 years old. You might not make it out of that interview alive.
"Moriarty" out.
