Queen & Country

Oh Dear, this is a stinker! Only 2 couples in at the Curzon, Victoria last night. The rest of the world must have known something we didn't. The other couple lasted 30 minutes.......we gave it another 15 or so before deciding it was beyond redemption and that we had better things to do with the next hour. We presume it ran on to an empty house. Dreadful, clunky script and dialogue, cut-out cartoon characters playing simple stereotype roles, wooden, stilted acting, very weird accents (Caleb Landry Jones apparently occupying a class and region of his own devising). Sometimes I thought we had stumbled into an episode of Porridge or maybe Dad's Army. Caleb seemed to be channeling Oliver Reed at his overacting worst, combined with Norman Wisdom or maybe Lee Evans. Sorry, but this was shameful and shouldn't have been allowed to escape onto the screen. Was this a case of Emperor's New Clothes? Was no one prepared to stand up to Boorman at any stage and say "enough"? Was this posted in as a contractual obligation? Yes, I respect the career, but this was a sad sign off and not worthy. This is one that the cast, pretty much without exception, will wish they could deny being involved with and will look at from behind their hands when its inevitable Christmas TV showing comes round in a year or 2. 1 star if I'm generous.

Absolutely loved this film! Was really funny too. There was some serious scenes but also a bit if humour here and there. Great acting from all cast. Must watch.

Writer and director John Boorman introduced us to some of these characters back in 1987 with the marvellous war time tale – 'Hope and Glory'. Bill is now ten years old and has been sent off to do his National Service – only we are now involved in the Korean War (which still limps on to this day – peace never having been formally agreed). He and his mate Percy though end up stuck in base camp teaching the typing pool.

Life in the camp is far from fun and games and the strict Regimental Sergeant Major and Sergeant Major make their life a bit of a hell – so they create diversions, shenanigans and go chasing the girls near the base by way of diversion. However, as with all diversions – whether on camp or elsewhere – there will be consequences.

Now this is a very well made film, period detail is great etc. The make up is all good and the acting is generally very good. Caleb Landry Jones as Percy Hapgood though struck me as miscast – his accent is unplacable (perhaps as he is American?); he does the emotion well but seems a bit unhinged – which may indeed have been the point. David Thewlis is probably the most stand out performance as the irritatingly unlikeable Bradley – and shows how broad his acting abilities are. Overall though a very good film and if you were a fan of the original, then you will probably want to see – but the jokes are much thinner on the ground here, but it still has a vibrancy that evokes the time and the passion in an endearing way.

I am a huge fan of Hope and Glory and had high hopes for Queen and Country. The entire experience of the new film was very flat. It was like taking a cross country trip focused on making exactly the same distance every day and staying in safe hotels. Nothing stood out, except possibly some bad (over?) acting. Most of the cast was adequate, but Caleb Landry Jones and Aimee-Ffion Edwards mostly just over-acted, as did almost everyone playing someone in a position of authority in the military. Of course, dealing with a plot that made little sense probably did not help. The best part of the film takes place on the water where Callum Turner does a nice job of making us believe it was his natural habitat mostly by becoming more confident instead of the fish-out-of-water he usually is (that is about as deep as this moving gets). Unfortunately, there were also some lame scenes of filming on the water that also added nothing. The only good news for my wife and me is that one of our tickets was free, so we only wasted half as much money.

Not knowing Hope and Glory, I saw this fim as correct and pleasant chain of british humor, some crumbs of Catch 22, gentle romance and maturisation, eulogy of friendship and eccentricity and nice portrait of a period.

Not impressive, it is a seductive define of the events defining the life in army of Bil Rohan, his first ove, his absolutey special friend, a cock and Robert E. Grant in a admirabe form.

And, for many motives, it is enough for offer a good enterntainment, few touching moments and image of freedom in profound sense.

And, sure, consequences of the terribilism of youth.

So, pleasant works as fair definition about this profound nice film.