The Tempest [Blu-ray]

It was great to see a proper cinema treatment, set - naturally - on an island with plentiful open air shots..Changing Prospero to Prospera had no real downside and it gave Helen Mirren to turn in yet another first-rate performance.The cinematic effects allow Ariel to turn in a performance that we could only imagine on a stage.So far, so good. Alas, the rest of the cast were disappointing. Caliban was neither completely loathsome nor (an interpretation I tend to favour) deserving of at least some sympathy. Despite some big names in the cast, the supporting players were rather disappointing. In particular, Alfred Molina and Russell Brand, as the comic duo were seriously unfunny.Because of this, I have some reluctance over the 4th star, but Mirren's revealing performance pushes me over the line

I bought this to show my class who had read the book. They were thrilled with the casting of Helen Mirren as Prospera. Altogether a great cast assembled for this show.

Shakespeare’s play The Tempest (1611) has a well-deserved reputation for being difficult to comprehend. For one thing, there is no obvious plot, just three groups of shipwrecked survivors who wander across the desolate island that is inhabited by Prospero, a master of the ancient arts of sorcery. They eventually all meet in Prospero’s underground cell, where he removes the spells he has placed them under, and then inexplicably sets all free. Also, Shakespeare doesn’t provide any motivation for Prospero’s obsessive study of these dark secular arts, which makes his gesture at the end of the play in freeing his captives and relinquishing his esoteric powers all the more puzzling. How are we to make sense of it?Julie Taymor’s faithful film version (2010) of The Tempest brings seamless CGI dramatizations and high production values to the original Shakespeare play. It opens with Prospera’s (played by Helen Mirren) backstory of how she neglected her political power as the Duke of Milan in order to pursue her studies of the esoteric arts to gain power over the elements, with the result that her brother Antonio (played by Chris Cooper) betrayed her as allegedly a witch, usurping her title and exiling her and her 3-year old daughter Miranda to an island prison, taking nothing but some clothes, some food, and some of her hermetic books. The film then picks up the narrative 12 years later. Prospera as the Magus has used her esoteric knowledge to control the elements of wind and fire, in the person of the sprite Ariel (played by Ben Whishaw) and its legion of shadows, and the elements of earth and water, in the person of Caliban, now the foster-child of Prospera, who has begun his education and taught him language, but who has enslaved him (his duties include bringing firewood to Prospera’s cell and catching fish for her dinner, which he vehemently detests).The key relationship, however, is between Prospera and the sprite Ariel, who longs to be free from Prospera’s dominion. As the play begins, Prospera commands Ariel to use its power over wind and fire to shipwreck not only the evil Antonio and his corrupt assistant Sebastian, but also the blameless King of Naples and his entourage including the wise Gonzalo, onto the Magus’ island. The shipwrecked passengers are broken up into groups, with the heir to the Kingdom of Naples, the flawless Ferdinand (played by Reeve Carney) landing alone, completely unhurt, who happens upon the virginal Miranda (the lovely Felicity Jones) and instantly they mutually fall in love. Prospera even commands a masque-dance to commemorate their betrothal. All of this is true to the original Shakespeare play.Djimon Hounsou plays Caliban in a traditional manner, consistent with his 100-some lines of dialogue, as a spurned acolyte, violently resenting the master’s inattention. In the throes of his resentment, Caliban betrays his step-mother-mistress and conspires with the drunkard Stephano (Alfred Molina) and the jester Trinculo (Russell Brand) to kill Prospera in her cell during her afternoon nap. But Prospera is forewarned of their plot by Ariel. These three buffoons parade across the island’s lava landscape in a parody of self-important bluster, but then are hounded by Ariel as the Harpy, in full black feathers and giant crow’s-beak, into a glen nearby Prospera’s cell, with all the other shipwrecked characters in thrall to her power now located within her cell, as the play’s denouement approaches.Ariel’s success is rewarded with its freedom, and it returns to the airy heights unfettered by Prospera’s powers of dominion.Now in her private element, and despite the moral outrage she has suffered at the hands of her brother Antonio and his stooge Sebastian, Prospera chooses to forego her righteous vengeance on these middling personalities. Indeed, what is the point of torturing these petty, greedy mediocrities? She disavows her esoteric power over wind, fire, water, and earth by tossing her magus’ staff into the sea, along with her hermetic books.What is the significance of the knowledge that Prospera had obtained at great cost to her, but now abandons? This is the unanswered question of this late Shakespearean play. If you persist in uncovering the depths of true knowledge, and reach a coherent vision of that reality, what does that mean? Perhaps Shakespeare is saying, “Seek to achieve your own understanding, I cannot do that for you.” Isn’t this the most human accomplishment, a lifetime of immersion in philosophy, science, the arts, and of course, love?

I have seen only one other filmed version of "The Tempest", the BBC version, and I agree with others who say that in spite of a good cast lead by great Shakespearean actor, Michael Hordern, it is flat and visually uninteresting. That is a good place to start when speaking of this film, shot on two Hawaiian islands, including the volcanic regions on the big island. The scenery is gorgeous and perfectly befitting the play. The landscape tends to put the humans in proper perspective. Little.The great background is enhanced by a touch of special effects, especially in the presentation of the spirit, Ariel. In the background piece, it was reported that Ben Whishaw, the actor who played Arial, would not be available when the company went to Hawaii. So, many of his parts are inserted by special effect, which has the benefit of giving him a very spectral quality.If the special effects and the landscape do anything unfortunate, it is to shrink Prospera in comparison. Either though direction, camera work, or acting, Prospera the magician simply does not come off with the gravitas of Gandalf in LOTR (even though he rarely uses magic.) Prospera's effects are spectacular. It almost seems as if Prospera were played by an even slighter actress, the contrast would have been so great as to make a strong impression.Caliban is Ariel's opposite, earthy in the extreme. In the BBC production, the Caliban character was covered with a stringy, weedy costume which tended to obscure his reactions to the camera. You can almost recognize Djimon Hounsou as the Nubian who played Russell Crowe's fellow gladiator in the movie of that name. Between his natural skin color and makeup, it appears he is caked with mud.Caliban's two henchmen from the storm-tossed ship are two of Shakespeare's great fool characters, Trinculo and Stefano, played to perfection by Russell Brand and Alfred Molina. It just may be that this trio steals the show from Mirren. But Mirren gives a great performance, outdoing Hordern easily. As director Julie Taymor notes, it was simple to change the male character Prospero to Prospera, as it was no more than changing a few pronouns. Far, far easier, for example, than changing King Lear or Hamlet to a woman.The love interest is played by Reeve Carney as Ferdinand, Alonso's son, who falls in love with Miranda, Prospera's daughter, played by felicity Jones. Like many of Shakespeare's romances, they tend to be less interesting than the fools and the perils of the plot. Neither seem accomplished actors, although they carry their parts reasonably well, in this, one of the Himalayas of English language theatre.The four noblemen are played well by Chris Cooper as Antonio, Prospera's brother and Miranda's uncle, Alan Cumming as Sebastian - Alonso's brother, Tom Conti as Gonzalo, a counselor to Alonso, who gave aid to Prospera and MirandaDavid Strathairn as Alonso, King of Naples, but I confess, Shakespeare has saved the best parts for the fools and the young lovers.The overall effect makes this possibly the only Tempest worth watching.One yearns to see what The Tempest would look like with Ian McKellen in the lead, after his long run as that most famous wizard, Gandalf.

I regret that although this movie is well made I could not get into it, I abandoned it about half way through. I will however give it another try soon.

Prospero can easily become Prospera on an island nearly of lost souls. The Tempest is every minute in everyone as the crew is impressive. You can think of several Shakespeare plays altogether as a recall always the same between love and death.As we are such stuff...as dreams are made on.

Hervorragende Darsteller in einem Stück von Shakespear, das leider nicht meinen Geschmack getroffen hat. Wer von den Verfilmungen mit bekannten Darstellern von Hamlet (Mel Gibbson), Der Kaufmann von Venedig (Al Pacino), Heinrich der Fünfte (Keneth Branagh), Othello (Lawrence Fishburn) und MacBeth (2fach verfilmt von Roman Polanski und danach mit Michael Fassbender) begeistert war, der wird hier etwas enttäuscht sein, da die Handlung so massiv symbolistisch ist, dass es wirklich anstrengend wird.

Wow this is one of those movies that I am completely baffled about poor ranking among critics. The film was gorgeous, well acted and very understandable for such a difficult play. The main joy of the movie is Dame Helen. She does bitterness superbly. I loved the scene when Miranda first meets Ferdinand - Mirren's ironic commentary added a whole new dimension to the play for me. I absolutely loved the rendition of the spirit Ariel. There was plenty of gorgeous scenery both real and mixed with CGI. THE TEMPEST is an odd assortment of magic, treachery, young love, silly comedy, and odd goings on, but filled with a cast that makes it jumps alive with passion and glee. Highly recommended.

...für den Angeklagten.Bei The Tempest fällt mir die Bewertung gar nicht leicht.Es IST eine Shakespeare Verfilmung, weshalb man sich nicht über die Story oder über die Sprechweise beklagen darf - oder?Nun, die Sprache ist wahrlich nicht das Problem - eher rettet Sie den Film aus so manchem Loch heraus. Und wer die Vorlage kennt, wird auch nicht zu sehr von der Geschichte überrascht, die natürlich total überzogen ist und zumindest im Film kaum Spannung bereithält.Da ich Shakespeare sehr gerne mag und auch The Tempest kannte, wollte ich auch diesen Film sehen.Das Werk ist insgesamt mit ein paar netten Ideen und sogar Special-Effects versehen. die Schauspieler sind gut und die Dialoge wirken zwar ungewohnt, aber passend. Die Effekte sind teils befremdend, teils sehr gut und teilweise eher lächerlich bis schlecht.Dieses Auf und Ab begleitet den Film leider von der ersten Minute an. Er wirkt wie eine Aneinanderreihung, bei der die einzelnen Szenen ohne Liebe ineinander übergeleitet werden. Harte Schnitte und schlechte Kamerawechsel bei denen immer wieder die gleiche starre Perspektive gewählt wird, gehören ebenso wenig zu den High Lights, wie die fehlende Dramaturgie. Der Film plätschert auf einer ruhigen, nur hier und da von einzelnen Szenen unterbrochenen Melancholie herum, die sich eher zur Entspannung denn zur Unterhaltung eignet daher.Daher hätte der Film erst einmal von meiner Seite nur 3 Sterne erhalten. Dann wäre da aber noch...Der Film hat ein gewisses Etwas. Ein toller und unaufdringlicher Soundtrack unterstützt die träumerische Stimmung des Filmes ebenso, wie die teils gewagten Effekte, die hervorragenden Kostüme und die einfach bezaubernde Sprache. Man hat wirklich teilweise das Gefühl, in einen Traum einzutauchen. The Tempest ist zwar ab 16 Jahren, wobei er m.E. ein richtiges Fantasy-Lustspiel ist. Abgesehen von ein/zwei beunruhigenden Szenen ist der Film absolut harmlos. Vor Gewaltdarstellungen und Sexszenen braucht man keine Angst zu habenEs sind diese Punkte und der Mut zu einer so gewagten Verfilmung, die es in meinen Augen wert sind, diesem Film und der DVD insgesamt 4 Punkte zu geben.Die Extras auf der DVD beeinhalten ein paar Interviews, Trailer und die B-Roll. In meinen Augen völlig in Ordnung.