Review of Anonymous (2011) by Rose B — 25 Mar 2013

I very much enjoyed this film but there were a few problems in it which keep it from legendary status. The biggest flaw with the film (as the critics correctly point out) is that the whole premise of the film is to provide an alternate, credible story line for what might have been the real life of William Shakespeare. The film fails to achieve this because the plot is a little too far from what people have been taught about Shakespeare and the film does not make a convincing enough case for its proposed plot, especially with the Queen Elizabeth parts.

Having said that, if the feasibility of the plot is overlooked this is actually a very enjoyable movie. The soundtrack is decent, the sets are very good, the script is very good, and the acting is top notch. The cast isn't particularly famous but they are all very good, especially the noblemen.

Though the plot wasn't convincing, it was certainly interesting. Nobles scheming against each other is cool. I also liked how they wove various Shakespearean plays into the movie in various places. I think they could have been much more convincing with the fight scene. I was extremely confused for the first 30 minutes of the film because every nobleman has 2-3 different names that he goes by. This is particularly difficult because they do a lot of flashbacks and flash further backs. After an hour or so, everything falls into place and it all makes sense but I would have liked a little more clarity.

SUMMARY: A pretty good film. I enjoyed it and am glad I watched it. This one falls into the category of The Raven. People interested in playwrights and poets will enjoy both.