the audience applauded

The Age of Commercialism

Fresh and Exciting

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

A very strange film. It's main worth being to illustrate to those who make films that, despite having a enviable amount of talent, a recognised composer, a director with previous reputation, access to great locations and some significant budget a real turkey can still result. A look at the cast list reveals a true wealth of acting talent. From Helen Mirren, Gabriel Byrne and Brian Cox to Andy Serkis and Christian Bale. But with many others of note including Mark Williams, Tom Wilkinson, Tony Haygarth, Saskia Wickham, Ewen Bremner, Brian Glover, Kate Beckinsale and Freddie Jones one can be excused from buying the DVD in the belief that 'it can't be that bad with all these in it'. It can. It's worse. Plodding pace, clunky direction, a dreadfully incongruous musical score and some really woeful dialogue. The battle scenes, at best, resemble a poor historical re-enactment. Oh, and there's a man in a bear suit! It's reminiscent of an early 70's ITV drama but with better acting. Nobody acts badly, in fact some of Christian Bale's performance shows his promise, but the question should be asked of those who can so indisputably act 'why are you acting in this?' All in all you will find it a waste of time to watch it. You know the basic story anyway, so there's little to learn - unless you're studying media, especially with a view to entering the world of film making, then it may be truly of value to you.

I'm not quite sure how an 85 minute version of Amleth's story can seem longer than Kenneth Branaugh's five hour Hamlet, but somehow it does. Sadly, most of the time is yawningly empty except for lovely panoramics of the Danish countryside. The script is atrocious, making the rather dynamic Viking story of Amleth into some sort of whack emo coming of age story for (admittedly super hot) Christian Bale. Narration runs over the entire story (perhaps Brian Cox's turn in Adaptation was some sort of penance for being in this movie), but the scenes present are so badly shot one becomes grateful for skipping the rest via obnoxious voice-over. So what gets this movie four stars? A fabulous cast, even if they are completely and entirely under-utilized. Brian Cox alone pretty much makes up for everything else lacking in the viewing experience. Helen Mirren's part is especially thin, but she does manage to get her top off, so core audience will be pleased. Christian Bale does well with a few moments where there actually are lines written, but his 'acting mad' schtick is tiresome, and unlike Helen, he doesn't get to show off topless (he is naked in one scene, but you see nothing... sigh). Kate Beckinsale is barely in the movie, but at least one can see the old nose, the old eyebrows, and the now missing freckles, and remember how cute as a button she used to be before she went Hollywood. Gabriel Byrne is mehh, mainly just sounding like an odd ripoff of Sean Bean. The real fun is his henchmen, a veritable cornucopia of 'where are they now' - we have Spud, Gollum, and Mr. Weasley! I can't honestly say that any of them have a part as written, but it's definitely worthwhile to see all of them so young (and in Serkis' case, thin!!!). Lastly, Batman Begins fans will be amused to see Tom Wilkinson cast as Bale's father, and remembering Wilkinson's 'they say he begged... like a dawg' line made a minute or two of this movie very nearly fun. Movie is recommended if: you think Christian Bale is hot (100% satisfaction) you have to watch Brian Cox's filmography (78% satisfaction) you want to see Helen Mirren's golden globes (50% satisfaction) you are a Hamlet completist (60% satisfaction) you are planning a trip to Denmark (31% satisfaction)Movie is NOT recommended if: you thought Cars was 'kinda draggy in the middle' (99% hatred) you have a Viking fetish (77% hatred) you like watching movies with a budget (65% hatred) you think Gabriel Byrne's redheaded accomplice is that guy from Dodgeball and First Knight (21% hatred) you just watched Underworld and want to see more of that Selene chick (40% hatred)

I've been waiting so long to see "Royal Deceit" that I had almost given up hope of ever finding it at any video store. Then on-line film purchasing came along and all my prayers were answered. As I sat and finally witnessed that majesty and of the original Hamlet story, I couldn't help but be thoroughly moved by it. The leading players are marvelous, Christian Bale especially. I am a "Bale-head" and have seen every other one of his films. Everything the young actor touches deserves recognition as a work of true art. He only chooses the best subject matter and scripts. He should certainly be hailed as the best and most courageous actor of the millennium. A must for any Christian Bale fan, or for that matter any fan of true artistic film.

I liked this. It was the only version of the Hamlet story I've ever seen that used the Saxo Grammaticus original, and I got a kick out of that. The costumes, sets and locales were authentic, for once. I particularly like the addition of a sauna. If you didn't recognize this as the Hamlet story, you might think it simple-minded, but I thought it was wonderful to see Hamlet's bare bones, as it were.