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Henry V Customer Reviews (34 - 36 of 38 Reviews)

A Stunning Adaptation - I'm just wild about Harry
Kenneth Branagh breathes new life into "Harry". Branagh both
directed and stars in the film - a feat easily comparable to Orsen
Welles creating Citizen Kane - Branagh pulls it off as well (or should
I say - pulls it off as Welles).

The supporting cast was made for
this film. The use of a modern Chorus on a soundstage draws the
viewer into a voyueristic struggle for the soul and "heart"
of France.

Yes, there is strong visual atmosphere; but, the scenery
never detracts from the delivery of the dialogue or storyline. Branagh
takes the Bard's words, makes them his own and fills the screen with
his own style of visual magic. He creates the world of King Henry by
using the simplest of sets - but yet it doesn't lose the complexity of
the text.

The feel good movie of the summer, winter, spring and
fall. "Let it be a muse" of film that fires the soul - and
let your imagination follow "Harry" as he become Henry the
fifth.

The music soars and feels as natural as if Shakespeare also
wrote the score. A soundtrack must for the collector.



Here's Where The Real Shakespeare Lives
The brilliance of this version is that those who have not yet found Shakespeare can do it in this one. The fidelity to the original script actually transports the viewer from the modern stage into the past (just as Branagh intended when Chorus opens the off stage door). The action, the human drama, the SHAKESPEARE comes roaring through just as the man himself intended when he wrote it. I've seen Henry done dozens of times (including at Stratford, the RSC, at the new Globe, etc.) and they are all lacking by comparison to this film. So if you only have one life to live, put this film into it.

OK...but here's the critique...You absolutely must agree that Henry V is a front runner for the best film interpretation of any Shakespearian play. And of course Chorus is probably the best ever in any version, stage or screen (in fact better than I was ever able to imagine him). Plus I agree that Branagh's genius set the modern standard for all Shakespeare with this one. And yes, Agincourt is done so well that you can cry at the St. Crispian's speech and again when Branagh carries the boy through the killing field during the hymn....in fact it's good enough that it makes you want to sing God Save The King all by yourself.

But nothing is perfect and neither is the DVD version of this great one. I was absolutely disappointed with the lack of a thundering soundtrack for the French knights' charge at Agincourt. Obviously Branagh wrote the script to build to what could be the greatest anticipatory moment in modern film....the chance to actually put every viewer onto the field at Agincourt was so well done that it has always leaped at you from the screen.....but without that thunder on the DVD audio mix, it's lost. Let's hope Branagh can become the anti-Spielberg and actually get this remixed with a crisp digital thunder on the next version.....and this may be the only film where a Director's cut dialogue would actually add insight into the interpretation (since most of us seem to agree that his debut as a Director was as good as his debut as an actor). Personally, I get a better sound from my VHS copy than the DVD (and I'm using $20K of equipment).

Learn to love Shakespeare.
It's hard to believe that this is Branagh's first screenwriting and directing effort. Either one would be an immense task, but both is really impressive.
Moving Shakespeare from the stage to the screen while preserving the integrity of the play has become something of a specialty of Branagh's since. Oddly, though, none of his later efforts has had quite the appeal of Henry V. "Othello" is close, but the rest tend to be cumbersome and way too ambitious. See also: "Hamlet"
You're going to have to let go of some cynicism to really enjoy this. His performance of the "Saint Crispin's Day" monologue has become something of a trademark for him, but it is a little overly sincere. Most of the film avoids this kind of forced intensity, but the speech is a notable exception. In fact, Branagh's greatest contribution to the fil is his direction, not his acting.
Even if you don't already enjoy Shakespeare, you should give this film a try. It may change your mind. It's in my top 10.

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