Truly Dreadful Film

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Excellent story-telling and cinematography. Poignant, biting social commentary.Superb effects. Well-filmed and acted.However, the parallel action between the present and the travel adventures (though very well done) at times drags on a little too much (about 3 hrs), and over-interrupts the flow of the story.I first read the book as a child, and enjoyed the parts about the giants and the tiny people -- but the book lost me when it got to the floating island and the land of the "yahoos"! Well, although the adventure plot may sound like a children's story, it's in fact a very adult story, full of symbolism about the moral decay in England at the time of Jonathan Swift, the author of the novel that the film is based upon.

Just discovered this one on DVD in the UK and promptly bought it !! Pretty meaty stuff and rather long, clocking in at almost three hours ! Obviously then requires several viewings to take it all in but my first impressions were generally positive. I didn't like the over-frequent to-ing and fro-ing between the present and the past without warning - it's rather tiring on the spectator's brain and if you don't follow the thing carefully you can get rather lost ! That was my main negative point, plus the fact that certain sections were rather slow and chatty. Apart from that, my impressions were mainly on the positive side rather than the negative.I had not heard of the actor Ted Danson before but he puts in a fine performance as does the quintessentially beautiful Mary Steenburgen (whom I've known since 'Time After Time') as his wife. I also noticed other faces, not least those of Victor Meldrew and Rodney Trotter from Only Fools and Horses which made me laugh no end.Technically the special effects were EXCELLENT and there was also quite a lot of humour throughout. I most most amused and intrigued by the talking horses/Yahoos as I did not know this aspect of Gulliver's travels. You could be forgiven for thinking that the protagonist had been taking too much LSD and and gone on another kind of trip !!Overall then, worth acquiring on DVD, above all for the picture quality plus the fact that several viewings are necessary.

This film is wonderful example of the quality dramas that Channel 4 and the BBC have produced over the years. Ted Danson delivers a powerful performance of a man tormented by memories noone will accept, and a society that believes he is insane. It is a remarkable performance by a man most known for his role in Cheers, a TV comedy sitcom. The supporting cast are all very well chosen, not least Mary Steenbergen, Danson's wife, who acts the part of Gulliver's wife in the film. But above all it is the seamless and very delicate shifts between our world and Gulliver's world that make this film. The difference in perspective between giants and midgets, all acted by real actors is beautifully captured. A rare treat of cinematography and direction.

I guess I have to write something here, although I think my one summary says it all. I'm not a huge Ted Danson fan... nothing against the man, just hasn't "done it" for me. This covers the sides of Swift's novel that were never covered before. You can tell the cast was having a wonderful time filming this.