green_queen_jp

Admittedly, this isn't the most brilliant film made (Helgeland is good at adapting scripts rather than writing them.) The directing isn't exactly inspired and the acting, with the notable exception of Paul Bettany as Chaucer (the highlight of the movie), is mediocre.

The idea behind using modern music--to keep a sense of youth about the film, and the idea that the jousters were like the rock stars of their time--was good, but it was poorly executed.

This film isn't supposed to be deep or intellectual, just entertaining, and in that aspect it delivers. The sets and costumes are excellent, conveying the grittiness of peasant life as opposed to the opulence of the nobles, and watch for a few references to the Bible and Christendom. Heath Ledger and Shannyn Sossamon are boring and unconvincing, but the supporting cast manage to keep the film entertaining.

For the first three years of Sliders, this show was an intelligent, original and fascinating example of perfect scifi TV. The acting was mostly above average, but the character dynamics of this odd group (a whiz kid, his wannabe girlfriend, his college professor and a washed-up singer who got into sliding by accident) and the writing were what really made the show. Unfortunately, the show began to go downhill when the original cast was shaken up with the departure of the formidable John Rhys-Davies as the Professor, and jumped the shark completely when it lost Sabrina Lloyd as Wade. I'm sure many salivating teen males would disagree with me on the pointlessness of Kari Wuhrer, but it's clear to me that she added nothing but cleavage to the show.

A show with great potential that should have continued for years.