★★★☆☆
28 January 2015
This article is a review of ANARCHY a.k.a. CYMBELINE.Seen at the Busan International Film Festival 2014. (For more information, click here.)
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“Where is our daughter?” Cymbeline (Ed Harris)
Tackling one of Shakespeare’s most narratively dense plays automatically earns props. Condensing one of the Bard’s longest to a clipped 97 minutes might be greeted by mixed reactions by those familiar with ‘Cymbeline’. When one saw this, it retained its original theatrical title; however, it has for some reason now been changed to the anodyne ANARCHY. A cynical person might interpret the update cheekily, as royalty in ancient Britain is now the Briton Motorcycle Club - calling to mind TV show ‘Sons of Anarchy’; such association might not be harmful to the film’s prospects.
Cymbeline (Harris) is king of the motorcycle gang and, after the title “Keep your head” materialises on screen, is seen tooling up with loyal servant Pisanio (John Leguizamo). Machine gun cocking suggests a showdown that breaks off before the meat. Strapped to a table is Posthumus Leonatus (Penn Badgley), where his dead father, Sicilus (Bill Pullman), appears to him, and then a cut back to a week earlier. Playing with Shakespeare might raise hackles, but being a slave to the source is too dull.
Tackling one of Shakespeare’s most narratively dense plays automatically earns props. Condensing one of the Bard’s longest to a clipped 97 minutes might be greeted by mixed reactions by those familiar with ‘Cymbeline’. When one saw this, it retained its original theatrical title; however, it has for some reason now been changed to the anodyne ANARCHY. A cynical person might interpret the update cheekily, as royalty in ancient Britain is now the Briton Motorcycle Club - calling to mind TV show ‘Sons of Anarchy’; such association might not be harmful to the film’s prospects.
Cymbeline (Harris) is king of the motorcycle gang and, after the title “Keep your head” materialises on screen, is seen tooling up with loyal servant Pisanio (John Leguizamo). Machine gun cocking suggests a showdown that breaks off before the meat. Strapped to a table is Posthumus Leonatus (Penn Badgley), where his dead father, Sicilus (Bill Pullman), appears to him, and then a cut back to a week earlier. Playing with Shakespeare might raise hackles, but being a slave to the source is too dull.
Posthumous on a skateboard (got to get the youth won over obvs) has him meet Cymberline’s daughter, Imogen (Dakota Johnson), for an illicit tryst behind pater’s back. Discovered, Leonatus is banished. Yearning love story on one level makes way for the overarching story of war brewing between the gang and the corrupt Roman police force, headed up by Caius Lucius (Vondie Curtis-Hall – another Baz Luhrman’s ROMEO + JULIET alumnus, along with Leguizamo, eliciting unwanted comparisons to the far superior interpretation). Tit for tat murders demonstrate quickly and briefly the antagonism. And that is one of the problems of ANARCHY, it does not allow atmosphere to breathe, for us to adjust to the Bard’s words in an unexpected setting. Creating a parallel universe that we can soak in to acclimatise is exchanged for brisk pace.
The second and third problems come in the form of the budget and look. For a citywide war, it does not have the scale or epic feel. Cinematographer Tim Orr (GEORGE WASHINGTON) disappoints, with an artless look and director Michael Almereyda (HAMLET) does not wow with camerawork or style. What it does have going is the game cast: From Milla Jovovich and Ethan Hawke to Anton Yelchin and Delroy Lindo. Also, the score has a grand melancholy before moving into something contemporary.
DRIVE has had such an impact in some cinematic quarters. A 1980s vibe is since being sprinkled to mostly underwhelming effect. A record turntable in ANARCHY even has The Specials’ ‘Pressure Drop’ (used to nice effect in GROSSE POINTE BLANK) playing.
Swagger gets ANARCHY a pass.