Review of Anonymous (2011) by Bheema D — 28 Sep 2015
Roland Emmerich's dingy drama is a muddled history lesson grounded in over-exposition and spectacular illusions of greatness.
The movie markets itself as a fictionalised account of the possibility that the 17th Earl of Oxford, Edward De Vere, could've been the author of Shakespeare's plays. This concept could be cinematic gold, but Emmerich, who seems to insist that all of his films should be CGI epics, and least two-and-a-half hours long, makes the drastic mistake of assuming that the De Vere vs. Shakespeare story just isn't enough for great drama.
What we get from Anonymous is a time-hopping look at Tudor politics, dotted with a bewildering array of loosely sketched characters; many of whom die amidst swirling cameras and scathing sound effects before we're even sure of their place in the story.
Rafe Spall plays Shakespeare as a smiling simpleton, Edward Hogg plays Robert Cecil as if he were Riff Raff from Rocky Horror, and Sebastian Armesto turns Ben Jonson into a jealous teen emo. If you have a history degree, you might follow (and even enjoy) some of the film's dabbling. If not, and you've any respect for (or interest in) Shakespeare's plays, be sure to steer clear.
This review of Anonymous (2011) was written by Bheema D on 28 Sep 2015.
Anonymous has generally received mixed reviews.
Was this review helpful?
