Review: Anonymous
Anonymous
Director: Roland Emmerich
Starring: Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave, David Thewlis
12A, 130 Mins
Unbeknownst to Shakespeare, his works are being desecrated for Hollywood drivel.
We all know the stories of Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Macbeth. But did you know that Shakespeare was in fact not the author of these works? Well at least this is what Roland Emmerich (Director) and John Orloff (writer) attempts to substantiate through just over two hours of endless dialogue, secret meetings and political privy. The story centres on Ben Johnson (Sebastian Amesto) an aspiring playwright who is hired by the Earl of Oxford (Rhys Ifans) to assume responsibility for his delightful plays which he cannot due to his political standing. Johnson, doubtful of the playwright's capabilities hires William Shakespeare, here portrayed as a boozing illiterate fool to assume such a role.
What makes this pill so hard to swallow is the parallel nature of the storyline when the youthful Earl of Oxford's illegitimate relationship with a young Elizabeth is depicted. Even the most attentive of viewers may have problems immediately grasping which Elizabethan era is being depicted and what impact this had on Shakespeare's works.
The lacklustre nature of the film comes as no surprise when you consider the director Roland Emmerich's credentials. Known for his doomsday blockbusters
(2012, Independence Day and Godzilla) his selection as a director for a 'political thriller' is questionable as is the use of 'thriller'. Perhaps the director of such a confusion of ideas and eras should have remained anonymous.
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1 Comment – Post a comment
neilramsden
Commented 6 months ago - 11th November 2011 - 11:01am
I have no desire to watch the film, but it has a brilliant cast - I'm a big fan of Rafe Spall. This isn't just Emmerich though - it's a whole theory and campaign to de-seat Shakespeare. That surprised me when I heard.