Richard N
St Crispins Day! The greatest speech by the most outstanding actor of the last 50 years. Next to Olivier, Branagh is KING!
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/18/24
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Blu B
A Classic War Drama of a Shakespheare play. Everything is really well done with the standout being Kenneth who commands every scene he is in. Sometimes the flashbacks can be a little abrupt and this seems very faithful to the source material. Perhaps a little too faifthful at times. For me the dialouge is over my head but I could follow it very well because of the acting and production value really immersing me quite well. I will say despite how good this is it defintely is an acquired tase and isn't necessarily for everyone. Anyone who is a big fan of Shakespheare or Branagh will like this a lot.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
01/21/24
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Robert H
Incredibly moving. A masterpiece.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
01/14/23
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Mth F
reminds me of the hit film henry v
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
12/10/22
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Audience Member
In the midst of the Hundred Years War, the young King Henry V (Kenneth Branagh) of England embarks on the conquest of France in 1415...
Henry V received near-universal critical acclaim for Branagh's Oscar-nominated performance and direction, for the accessibility of its Shakespearean language, and for its score by Patrick Doyle. Rotten Tomatoes consensus reads: "Pehaps Kenneth Branagh's most fully realized Shakespeare adaptation, Henry V is an energetic, passionate, and wonderfully acted film." On Metacritic it has a score of 83 out of 100, based on 17 reviews, indicating "Universal acclaim". Henry V also ranks #1 on the Rotten Tomatoes list of Greatest Shakespeare Movies, beating Akira Kurosawa's Ran (1985) and Branagh's own version of Hamlet (1996), respectively ranking in second and third place. Roger Ebert, noted critic of the Chicago Sun-Times, gave the film three-and-a-half out of four stars, praising Branagh's performance and writing, "There is no more stirring summons to arms in all of literature than Henry's speech to his troops on St. Crispan's Day, ending with the lyrical 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.' To deliver this speech successfully is to pass the acid test for anyone daring to perform the role of Henry V in public, and as Kenneth Branagh, as Henry, stood up on the dawn of the Battle of Agincourt and delivered the famous words, I was emotionally stirred even though I had heard them many times before. That is one test of a great Shakespearian actor: to take the familiar and make it new." Variety magazine also gave the film a positive review, calling Henry V "A stirring, gritty and enjoyable pic which offers a plethora of fine performances from some of the U.K.'s brightest talents."
Kenneth Branagh´s 1989 adaptation of Shakespeare´s play feels pompous, theatrical and stiff today. Branagh himself feels as well as pompous as possible as Henry V and he really does everything he can to look like the ultimate Shakespeare interpreter in this film. It becomes silly and overacted in my opinion plus the film simply doesn´t hold up today in terms of the direction, look, feel and vibe. The film did receive worldwide critical acclaim and has been widely considered one of the best Shakespeare film adaptations ever made. For her work on the film, Phyllis Dalton won an Academy Award for Best Costume Design and Kenneth Branagh, in his directorial debut, received Oscar nominations for Best Actor and Best Director. I am afraid I can´t agree to this acclaim. I personally think that Justin Kurzel`s "Macbeth" from 2015 with Michael Fassbender is one of the best Shakespeare film adaptations.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/21/23
Full Review
hassan i
Kenneth Branagh's "Henry V" is an ambitious, exuberant and sweeping historical epic that offers one of the most effective adaptations of Shakespeare's famous play. With his directorial debut, Branagh crafted a rousing adaptation of William Shakespeare's timeless play that has stood test of time as a classic. Despite being his first foray into the world of Shakespeare, Branagh showcased extraordinary strength in his directrial debut. Using captivating cinematography, Branagh draws viewers into the courageous majesty's journey to claim his throne in 15th Century. Branagh's decision to shoot the movie in real-life locales across England is risky, but it works immensely. Branagh demonstrates immense control of craftsmanship over production design, action sequences and music, using these elements to craft a definitive Shakespeare adaptation. Branagh's screenplay is also sensational, and expertly translates dramatic monologues from the famous play to screen. It's hard to not praise phenomenal performances. Kenneth Branagh delivers one of the best performances of his career as King Henry V. With stirring expressions, he captures the determination, nobility and lifelong resentments of a majestic king that strives to reclaim his throne amid war-torn England. Emma Thompson is equally excellent in the role of a newlywed woman with apprehensions about becoming a queen. In one of her first roles, Thompson showcases glimpses of the alluring actress she'd become later on in her career. The final, most notable standout is Paul Scofield. As the majestic Charles IV, he brings regal royalty to the movie. Although "Henry V" is undeniably a memorable adaptation, ultimately it isn't flawless. It's unevenly paced, and lacks momentum in sequences marked by the absence of Henry V. Moreover, it's undermined by unnecessary voiceover narration from a legendary actor telling rather than showing story. Nevertheless, fans of the iconic play will certainly enjoy "Henry V" and so will moviegoers seeking old-fashioned entertainment. In a century when modern audiences seem to have forgotten William Shakespeare, hopefully it will spark newfound interest in the mag-cbeth-nificent stories of English literature's most belov-hamlet-ed scribes even if his works are hidden othe-bel-low centuries.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
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