Royal Deceit

I'm immediately thrown off by the costumes, which are all new fabric. Nothing is worn looking, all of it looks straight out of a fabric store. Leather for belts brand new. This is first time I have felt such a distraction over costume design.

The sets also seem to new to believe. New wood on boat, sail brand new material. All the pitchers on tables match along with drinking glasses. Candles all burning exactly. It is a "set" in the worst possible way.

Building appear to have been created hours before filming. Cute little community but no authenticity.

It's a shame that no one associated with the production/filming/director/actors brought up the obvious flaws in creating this movie.

If you have seen Babette's Feast and can appreciate the difference between a more European, understated style of film making and the slam-bang, in-your-face style the Yanks dish out year in and year out... Then this may be a movie for you.

Here is a small film by a director working in a language that is not his own. An experiment in story telling that succeeds on its own terms. Here is a film that is scored by one of the more highly rated, avant-guard classical composers in Europe. It re-tells a well beloved story by going at it by the roots in order to give it a fresh spin. The wonderful cast of British (and Irish) stars can be applauded for endorsing what must have been a modestly budgeted film.

Of course it is not Shakespeare. But it sheds new light on the Hamlet play by exploring the legend that inspired the bard to choose it as story material. For fans of history and drama.

Although I found the movie a little short, and some of the fighting scenes almost laughable, I found the acting incredibly well done..particularly by Gabriel Byrne (after seeing him in Little Women first I didn't know if he could pull of an evil character..he does!) I also found Christian Bales acting one of the best that I have seen in a long time..his knack for accents has been mentioned so many times it's getting almost annoying (not the accent..the mention of it..) but I was quite pleasantly pleased to find out just how good Christian Bale was at acting like a lunatic..with all the talent that he has, it's surprising that he doesn't have all of Hollywood chasing after him to be in their films!

I liked this. It was the only version of the Hamlet story I've ever seen that used the Saxo Grammaticus original, and I got a kick out of that. The costumes, sets and locales were authentic, for once. I particularly like the addition of a sauna. If you didn't recognize this as the Hamlet story, you might think it simple-minded, but I thought it was wonderful to see Hamlet's bare bones, as it were.

I've been waiting so long to see "Royal Deceit" that I had almost given up hope of ever finding it at any video store. Then on-line film purchasing came along and all my prayers were answered. As I sat and finally witnessed that majesty and of the original Hamlet story, I couldn't help but be thoroughly moved by it. The leading players are marvelous, Christian Bale especially. I am a "Bale-head" and have seen every other one of his films. Everything the young actor touches deserves recognition as a work of true art. He only chooses the best subject matter and scripts. He should certainly be hailed as the best and most courageous actor of the millennium. A must for any Christian Bale fan, or for that matter any fan of true artistic film.