Friday, December 23, 2011

Review: War Horse

War Horse
Dir. Steven Spielberg
Year: 2011
Aus Rating: M15+
Running Time: 146mins

Steven Spielberg’s latest film, War Horse, opens with picturesque shots of rolling British countryside set to a boisterous John Williams‘ score. You’d be forgiven for thinking Spielberg and his screenwriters, Lee Hall and Richard Curtis working from Michael Morpurgo’s novel and the Tony-winning Broadway play, were desperate to choke sobs out of their audience from the opening moments. Even if you’re not crying yet, they will keep trying and trying until only the blackest of hearts are left un-moved. I guess I should hand in my organ donation card because I clearly don’t have a heart judging from the dismissive reaction I had to this patently artificial film.

Read the rest at Trespass Magazine

1 comment:

Joe said...

I am eager to see this movie, but I understand completely what the critic is saying. We rely on sentiment way too much in this country in our personal relationships, our literature, our movies and in our divorce courts. We need to reach for something deeper inside each of us, something rational and recognized mentally. Sentiment is cheap. But, I'm gonna love it, because I'll be seeing it with my daughter and granddaughter, and the grand is a little horse person. We will have a wonderful time!