Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Here is a great made-for-TV miniseries that does a fine job of capturing the mystique of the legendary (albeit infamous) pirate, Blackbeard. Angus Macfadyen nails the part of the flamboyant, reckless, merciless and rancorous buccaneer. With no offense to Mr. Macfadyen, he plays a great scoundrel!
The rest of the cast is quite good as well. Jessica Chastain is a nice fit as the timid, demure, young & innocent upper class dame who must transform into something of a tomboy in order to stand up against the nasty pirates. Mark Umbers delivers a good performance as the hero of the plot. Richard Chamberlain is an interesting choice as the corrupt governor of the Carribean province. 30 some-odd years ago Chamberlain would have been cast to play the role given to Mark Umbers.
Some other commentators have complained that the movie is not accurate. This is true: the storyline IS fictional. To preclude any confusion, it's best for the viewer to know this up-front. Instead of historical veracity, the "point" of this film is to tap into the mythology of the charismatic pirate who still reaches beyond the grave to captivate people to the present day. On that account, I believe the movie delivered what it promised. There were parts of the movie in which I thought to myself: "I bet the real Blackbeard would have been able to relate to how he was portrayed in this film." That's a very good thing in my book!
In truth, the demise of the historical Blackbeard was far more boring and anti-climactic than what happens in this film. (The real Blackbeard sunk his ship, THE QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE, and attempted to retire to the Carolinas & got caught - yawn). This is not the first film to take liberties with the lives of historical characters; I certainly don't think it should be hammered in regards to this issue.
All in all, if you like pirate movies, this one is certainly worth a look. I had no pre-conceived notions when I picked it up, and I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the film. One thing is for sure: after viewing this DVD you'll feel like you got a chance to peer back a few hundred years into the world of the pirates!
Click Here to see more reviews about: Blackbeard (2006)
BLACKBEARD - DVD Movie
No comments:
Post a Comment