I gave it a 7.5 out of 10

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Am I the only person in the Universe who hated this grim clichefest of a movie? Full of gangrenous, decaying ham, tiresomely twee, this horror ends up celebrating the ghastliest form of luvviedom that it should be sending up. The real mystery is how come so many people liked it. Is it the case that there are a lots of Americans out there who are taken in by this poor-man's Ealing-comedy as something terribly, authentically, 'English'? Could it be that having Kenneth Branagh in it is enough? No idea why this should be - the man is a booming, ghastly luvvie who can't act and can't direct. It was billed I seem to remember as a 'gentle comedy', two of the most terrifying words in the English language. Terrible terrible terrible. No more needs to be said.

I love British film, comedy, theatre and probably because of the intellectual content. It isn't mindless. I watched this with my family and we were all alternatively laughing, crying, laughing. The best bit is the machine gun. Trust me!The video cover had publicity stills in colour. It was a bit worrisome when it presented in glorious black and white. But you get used to it very quickly.My daughter hunted out the video, bought it and it is regularly viewed. The performances are very, very good. Especially Richard Briers, Michael Maloney and Julia Swahala. Jennifer Saunders grates and grates and grates.Watch this film and enjoy.

A perfect little movie, this tale of provincial actors struggling to deliver a production of Hamlet is one that will cheer your Bleak Midwinter if you have any heart whatsoever. Definitely under-rated and one of Branagh's best, it is simply and effectively photographed in black and white, and features a witty, amusing, and at times, hilarious script performed by a stand-out ensemble cast. Although its tale of backstage trials and tribulations will not appeal to all tastes, there is a lot of subtlety and truthfulness to the gentle, genuine sentiment on offer here. Among very few false notes, only Jennifer Saunder's dire caricature as a Hollywood producer really disappoints. The rest of the cast are just terrific. Almost as good a Christmas movie as It's a Wonderful Life, I recommend it.

This wonderful little movie pushed all the right buttons for me. It's about actors and the miracle of drama. It's about people rising to insuperable challenges. It's about people who don't fit in, the "misfits and nutters", managing to coalesce into a unit. It's the history of a dramatic production from casting through rehearsals to performance, with all the reversals and unexpected problems that always arise. And it has Shakespeare.Sound familiar? It should. This movie shares all the above characteristics with Shakespeare in Love.What Shakespeare in Love has, besides all that, is a pretty predictable love story and some gorgeous sets and costumes.What this film has, besides all that, is a lot of laughs and a theme that flows through every frame. Part of it is stated in the real title of the film, In the Bleak Midwinter (Why must some stupid American constantly insist on changing book and movie titles, usually sacrificing subtlety in favour of inanity?), and its reference to Holst's sad little Xmas tune which turns up in the score when the emotions are running high. The bleakness of the depressed characters is underscored by the black-and-white film, the lack of camera tricks or even motion, and the low-budget feel of the film which corroborates the low-budget production of Hamlet.The other part of the theme is rather emphatically indicated as they all pull into the village ("I think it's a sign!" "Yes, a road sign, love.") of Hope. The script is full of puns about those who have "abandoned Hope", reminding us of Dante's Hell. The awakening of a new hope in the darkest hour of the year when everything is at its bleakest is the message of Christmas, and this is a Christmas story in the deepest sense.It's probably just a coincidence that the first episode of the world's most famous sci-fi trilogy was called "A New Hope".The acting is practically flawless. Julia Sawalha is perhaps a bit weak in spots and is filmed in an extremely unflattering way at times, but she more than compensates with a marvelous snippet of Ophelia which is in itself worth the price of purchase.Many of these actors worked with Branagh on Much Ado and Hamlet; they are obviously having fun and the result is brilliant. Branagh's direction is characterized by unobtrusiveness and understatement which might surprise some.For most folks out there this will be a funny, feel-good picture which is well worth seeing. If, like me, you believe in Shakespeare, acting, underdogs, Christmas or light at the end of the tunnel this might be the best movie you've ever seen.