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Much Ado About Nothing Customer Reviews (40 - 42 of 48 Reviews)

Much Ado About Something...
A warning: watching this film is apt to take away from your pleasure in watching any other film of a Shakespearian play. Simply, it's beautiful. The cast is a surprising ensemble that works incredibly well together (except, alas, for Keanu Reeves, who despite his best efforts, cannot act - luckily, the role doesn't require that he do so), the cinematography is beautiful, and the joy of watching Shakespeare done by good actors is that you actually understand the wordplay and the plot. Furthermore, there is no one star of the show (perhaps two, if Benedict and Beatrice are counted as the leads), so you don't get as sick of Brannaugh as you usually do in his mind-numbing epics (i.e. Hamlet - wherein near the end you feel like screaming, "There's a knife right there! Get it over with!). Finally, Emma Thompson and Denzel Washington are wonderful; Thompson is so consistently exquisite in all of her movies that Britain should put out an insurance policy, and I am very embarrassed to say that, of all of Washington's excellent films, I love this one the best. I have never seen Shakespeare done better in a movie.

Very romantic and joyful Shakespearean comedy adaptation
One of Shakespeare's most popular and romantic comedies is brought to screen and I can't imagine seeing one that was more fun, full of life and happiness, and simply charming than this one. I haven't read the play myself but seeing this makes me want to.

The opening itself cries out heroism and revelry, as the sight of Don Pedro and his men returning on horseback from wars, the women quickly going to their baths within their chambers at the same time the men bathe outside, until both sides greet each other. Don Pedro and his men accept the hospitality of Leonardo for ten days. In the process, Count Claudio is instantly smitten by Hero, Leonato's daughter, while a war of acid wit is played out between Benedick and Beatrice, Hero's cousin. Indeed, when speaking against the merits of love, Beatrice says, "I had rather my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me." To which Benedick replies, "God keep your ladyship still in that mind so some gentlemen or other escaped a predestinated scratched face." "Scratching could not make it worse than for a face such as yours were." And so it goes.

Here, in this idyllic garden-like setting, the protagonists seek to put Cupid out of a job. Don Pedro promises to speak to Hero and Leonardo on Claudio's behest, while those four conspire to match Benedick and Beatrice. The way they do it as amusing and harkens to its theatrical roots even though it is set in a nice outdoor atmosphere. What's just as priceless is the reactions of both targets when they overhear. It all comes down to both sides putting aside their pride, contempt, scorn

However, in every garden of love, there is a serpent, and it is Don John, brother of Don Pedro. He plots with his lackeys Bracchio and Conrad to sabotage the matching of Hero and Claudio, and the way he does it is insidious from the effects.

Shakespeare's lines are well-preserved in this adaptation and as such the witty and memorable lines flow like an effervescent stream. "She speaks poniards and every word stabs. If her breath were as terrible as her terminations, there were no living near her. She would infect to the North Star." That bad, huh?

Kenneth Branagh indeed does go a bit OTT as Benedick, but he is by no means the only strong player in this Shakespearean adaptation. Emma Thompson proves every bit as his sweet Beatrice, but looking at this film is a bittersweet reminder of when they were still together.

It's wonderful to see Richard Briers (Leonato) in a prominent role as such a loving father to Hero. After Good Neighbours ended, it seemed a shame for him to be forgotten to the US in the 1980's, but thanks to Branagh's Shakespearean adaptations, Briers has been resurrected once again.

Brian Blessed is remarkably restrained, sort of, as Leonato's brother Antonio. That girth, beard, and that explosive toothy grin when he laughs is unmistakably Voltar from Flash Gordon or Yrcarnos from Doctor Who-Mindwarp.

I've only seen Robert Sean Leonard in Dead Poets Society, but he does well as Claudio. And after seeing Kate Beckinsale (Hero) before she turned Hollwood is apropos: "Can the world buy such a jewel?"

Michael Keaton's bad teeth, scraggly hair, and deranged performance as Dogberry the constable is either funny or irritating depending on one's mood. And don't forget what kind of animal he is.

The only one who lets down is Keanu Reeves as Don John, who does have an unpleasant character, but can't act his way out of a sonnet even if it was written for him in 50 pt font. His lines are delivered woodenly. "Any bar, any cross, any impediment will be medicinal to me,... DUDE!" Actually, it would be very funny if he said that in the movie a la Ted, but he doesn't, and the only bar, cross, and impediment here is his acting.

A must for romantics of all sorts. Others beware!

Hilarious Film Adaptation
I think I'm yet to see a film by Branagh that I haven't enjoyed, and his interpretation of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" is no exception. His cast is excellent, from Michael Keaton to Denzel Washington, and I really enjoyed the interaction between the characters and the way they brought life to the work. However, my favorite performances belonged to Kenneth Branagh as Benedick and Emma Thompson as Beatrice. They were absolutely hilarious, and yet very sad. Beatrice especially seemed to fall into this category; while she was talking to others, she was very witty and humorous, but as soon as she fell out of the limelight and muttered under her breath or said something quietly, you realized that she wasn't all that happy. The idea that she used to be in a relationship with Benedick was particularly obvious in her performance, though I didn't even notice it while reading the play. In the film, Beatrice would follow up her wittiness with a longing or wistful expression and a solemn sentence, and after being directly insulted by Benedick during the festival, she seems to become very sad and reflective.

As a contrast, I don't really see this in Benedick at all. He never seems sad, just angry at his kinsman Claudio becoming married. Rather than mourning this fact, he simply becomes resentful and angry. This seems to add some clarity to what happened in the relationship between Benedick and Beatrice. While a little bit of humanity is shown through his character when he questions why Beatrice would ever love him, Benedick seems to be more than anything a simple and unfeeling character until his circumstances force him to grow up and make a decision (to challenge Claudio). However, even this decision isn't an original thought or something he wanted to do, so even in this he seems a little childish - he's just following the wishes of someone else.

Benedick seems to reflect many negative male stereotypes in that he doesn't really listen, he doesn't care about the feelings of others, and ultimately his actions are more for his benefit than anyone else. He struggles for power and even in the final marriage sequence; he proves that he's in control of the relationship when he decides to kiss Beatrice. Despite all these follies, he's still my favorite character in the film and play and I think that he, more than anyone, makes the play humorous and entertaining. This is just another way in which his character contrasts with that of Beatrice. Beatrice seems to reflect all the positive characteristics of a strong woman while Benedick reflects many negative stereotypes of an immature man.

These differences in characters, especially when involved in a romance, make "Much Ado About Nothing" a very compelling and entertaining story. The joking keeps the play funny and entertaining, while the subplots complement the humor by adding substance and seriousness.

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