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Fresh (35)
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DVD (10)
A stirring, gritty and enjoyable pic which offers a plethora of fine performances from some of the U.K.'s brightest talents.
The cast -- including Derek Jacobi as the modern-dress chorus, Paul Scofield, Judi Dench, Ian Holm, Emma Thompson, and Robbie Coltrane in an effective cameo as Falstaff -- is uniformly fine without any grandstanding.
Mr. Branagh's Henry has psychological heft and intellectual weight.
More questioning, more agonized, finally more humble.
Everything about this remarkable production is exhilaratingly unexpected.
What works best in the film is the over-all vision.
Toward "turning many years into an hourglass," Branagh the screenwriter condenses "King Henry the Fifth," while adding in elements from the first and second parts of "King Henry the Fourth." The effect is seamless.
Like Sir Larry's, this remains Branagh's best movie and although less spirited and more actorish than its predecessor, it has a modern feel and a grittier tone to it, notably in the battle scenes.
It might never be as famous as Olivier's, but it should carry considerable clout for years to come.
Branagh succeeds in his blunt, robust portrayal of the Soldier-King, hauling the film along in the wake of his own gung-ho performance.
Shakespeare with guts, passion and spectacle
A strong, fiery film so good that Branagh has virtually drawn out a fifteen-year film career from the unrepeated success of this debut.
Straightforward, energetic and updated Bard.
A triumphant affirmation of Shakespeare's timeless appeal.
Many fine feature film versions of Shakespeare exist. Few can match this one for raw power.
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