Don't Believe the Hype

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

I've worshiped Shakespeare all my life so I fled from this film since its debut, afraid of a bad Hollywood adaptation of the Bard. I watched it only a few years ago, when I learned that Anna Friel was part of the cast and I must confess I liked it quite a bit. The mixture of English actors - experienced in Shakespeare, connoisseurs of his work and at ease with his infamous iambic pentameters - with Americans and their nasal English and incompatible "RR" with the poet's lexicon, is often disastrous but in this case the result is not bad. The cast is extremely irregular, there is no doubt. The film, however, is much better than I'd expected.Kevin Kline is a good Nick Bottom, Roger Rees brings his known talent to Peter Quince, and the young Sam Rockwell does quite well as Flute. Among the romantic couples, David Strathairn and Sophie Marceau are dull and plain as the characters they play, Theseus and Hippolyta. Anna is wonderful and perfect as Hermia; also pretty good is the Lysander of Dominic West. Christian Bale is only remarkable for his then terrible diction, as Demetrius. I didn't expect to say this, but Calista Flockhart was a great Helena and her scenes with Anna are the best thing in the movie.In the forest, things are not as great. Stanley Tucci is a good actor, but his Puck has absolutely nothing to do with the character, whether in the physical or the personality. Rupert Everett is also completely lost as Oberon. Together, they look like two male strippers and are more into a movie about Sodom and Gomorra than Shakespeare. Michelle Pfeiffer is awful as Titania. Her English is the most American of all, her familiarity with Shakespearean verses is none, and she recites the lines as a theater student. Moreover, she looks much older than Ruppert and their chemistry - both acting and sexual - is zero.Overall, a very good film, and a great way to know the play.

a charming adaptation. loyal to the play, using few modern pieces, beautiful cinematography, perfect cast. a film who reminds the colors, the flavors, the joy, the humor of a lovely masterpiece. all is fresh. all is seductive. and, in few scenes, almost perfect. a film who seems invent again an universe but, in fact, only impose its true nuances. Kevin Kline's work is gorgeous and Rupert Everett seems be the perfect Oberon. the wood, the story of the two couples, the delicate story of Tysbe, the grace of atmosphere of an Athens who seems between periods, all does the film a seductive adventure. and that is not surprising. only admirable because the simplicity is not easy to create in the case of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

A Midsummer Night's Dream is a very complicated play, and can get very silly at times, and this film is surprisingly faithful to the play. Yes, there was an attempt to partially modernise it, therefore the script wasn't as good as it could have been. The film itself is lovingly designed, with lavish costumes, stunning sets(my favourite being the wood set) and handsome cinematography. The music was lovely with clever use of music by the likes of Mendelssohn and Verdi. I thought the acting was very good indeed, Kevin Kline stealing the show as Bottom, most of the time hilarious, especially in the play scene, when we are shown what a bad actor Bottom really is. Michelle Pfeiffer is lovely also, and Rupert Everett is very charming also as Oberon. Callista Flockhart convinces also as Helena, and Stanley Tucci has a ball as Puck. The direction is competent, but my only other criticism is that the film is a little overlong. Overall, I genuinely enjoyed this film, not as good as Much Ado About Nothing(with Kenneth Branagh) or Macbeth (with Jon Finch), so I will happily award it 8/10. Bethany Cox.

The dream is my favourite Shakepearean play. Truth be told if I had the choice, I'd rather seen the Dream performed live. This is one of the most entertaining adaptations of Shakespeare I've seen on film. Most films of a Shakespearean play are boring, but this one was beautiful and hilarious. I rented it, but then purchase a copy so that I could enjoy it over and over again.The soundtrack was perfect, the setting was elegant, and everything worked together.Puck played by Stanley Tucciin was superb. I think he should get much larger movie roles then he has in the past. I also really enjoyed Kevin Klines interpretation of Bottom.If you love the Dream, you'll love this film.