The Tempest

Stage director and filmmaker Julie Taymor combines her talents in this cinematic adaptation of Shakespeare's classic play about a powerful sorcerer who toys with his shipwrecked enemies. Taymor's major change is to turn male magician Prospero into Prospera, played by Helen Mirren, who doesn't really bring anything special to the role. But the director also fills out the remaining parts eccentrically, with Russell Brand mugging ferociously as Trinculo, and heavily tattooed Djimon Hounsou as Caliban, sporting an accent that renders many of his lines unintelligible, although David Strathairn (King Alonso), Chris Cooper (Antonio), Alan Cumming (Sebastian), Alfred Molina (Stephano), and Tom Conti (Gonzalo) are at least acceptable. As Prospera's servant Ariel, Ben Wishaw appears as a tiny androgynous figure that flits about like Tinkerbell in cheesy superimpositions, just one of the mediocre special effects Taymor employs, apparently believing that Shakespeare's text can't stand alone (she also cuts it ruthlessly, earning a screenplay credit in the process). Even in this highly abbreviated form, the film feels dull and overlong, offering no engagement with the source material except on the most superficial level. Not recommended. [Note: DVD/ Blu-ray extras include two audio commentaries (the first with director Julie Taymor; the second with Shakespeare experts Virginia Vaughan and Jonathan Bate), a “making-of” documentary (66 min.), outtakes with costar Russell Brand (5 min.), the music video for the soundtrack song “O Mistress Mine,” and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is rehearsal footage with Taymor, Brand, and costars Djimon Honsou and Alfred Molina (14 min.). Bottom line: a fine extras package for a disappointing film.] (F. Swietek)