Tristan + Isolde

Kevin Reynolds' bland retelling of the tragic medieval romance of Tristan and Isolde—recounted many times onscreen, often in the form of Wagner's famous opera—comes across like a modern twentysomething soap opera in period dress, the sort of thing one might expect to see on Fox or the WB. This adaptation of the love triangle—in which Tristan, Isolde, and Lord Marke are comparable to Lancelot, Guinevere, and Arthur—stars handsome but inexpressive James Franco as the young English warrior Tristan, who's seriously wounded in battle but restored to health by the Irish princess Isolde (Sophia Myles), with whom he promptly falls in love. Isolde sends Tristan home in order to save him from her royal father, but when he becomes the champion of his ruler (and foster-father) Lord Marke (Rufus Sewell), he wins the hand of Isolde…for his lord. But the young lovers' passion cannot be restrained, leading to a clandestine affair that means near-tragedy for Marke's realm. Since there are many variations on the medieval Tristan and Isolde stories, one can't complain about narrative liberties taken here, but viewers can be disappointed that the movie is sluggish and anemic, lacking any sense of grandeur and richness, resulting in a tepid, tinny modernist recasting of an epic romance that is more likely to induce drowsiness than any passionate swoon. Not recommended.  [Note: Available in either widescreen or full screen versions, DVD extras include two audio commentaries (one by executive producer Jim Lemley and co-producer Anne Lai; the other by screenwriter Dean Georgaris), a 29-minute “Love Conquers All” making-of featurette, two versions of the music video “We Belong Together” by Gavin DeGraw, and behind-the-scenes, production design, and costume design image galleries. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a disappointing film.] (F. Swietek)[Blu-ray Review—Apr. 18, 2017—Kino Lorber, 125 min., PG-13, Blu-ray: $24.95—Making its domestic debut on Blu-ray, 2006's Tristan & Isolde sports a fine transfer with DTS-HD 5.1 sound. Extras are identical to the previous DVD release and include two audio commentaries (one by executive producer Jim Lemley and co-producer Anne Lai; the other by screenwriter Dean Georgaris), a “Love Conquers All” making-of featurette (29 min.), two versions of the music video “We Belong Together” by Gavin DeGraw, and image galleries. Bottom line: a solid Blu-ray debut for a so-so adaptation of a classic medieval romance tale.]