Review of Marie Antoinette (2006) by Kenn. — 22 Oct 2006

The more French history you know coming into the cinema, the less you will like this cinematic abomination by a vain director who treats history like some cute pet poodle dog. French critics booed this film and I understood why after wasting two hours of my life watching a famous historical queen being depicted as some dim-witted teenage bimbo who knows little about court etiquette despite being raised in the royal court of the powerful Holy Roman Empire (Austria).

My favourite royal of the late 1700s, the enlightened despot Joseph II of Austria, looks too old and is not depicted with the same striking resemblence as seen in "Amadeus". He wears some plain-looking yellow coat when Joseph almost always wears a military-style coat.

The few military uniforms shown, mostly those of Versailles' red-clad Swiss Guards, look accurate but why is a Swiss Guard officer being decorated for fighting in the American colonies when only a few regular line regiments went abroad??? The little details, such as the 1980s rock music, aside, the storyline seems to be drifting towards nowhere as we see Marie Antoinette looking bored while chatting, eating, drinking and gambling.

If the French aristocracy were suffering from a severe case of "ennui", then that "ennui" sure rubs off on the theatre audience. Boring, slow, meaningless and with little historical accuracy, this is French History 101 for stupid teenage girls like the many I saw around me at the cinema.

This film only redeeming virtue is its meticulous attention to the details of French Rococo style costume and furniture. Go watch "Dangerous Liaisons" starring Glenn Close if you want to see something with the same beautiful French costumes and with a better and more serious story.