Following up an Oscar-winning movie is a daunting task, especially if you directed a film that won the Academy Award for Best Picture. The first thing everyone does is compare and contrast. Mainly, they ask themselves and others, "Is it as good as his/her last picture?" Nothing can be done about it.
Director John Madden's first effort after "Shakespeare in Love," which (undeservedly) took home the Oscar for Best Picture in 1999, is "Captain Corelli's Mandolin," based on the best-selling novel "Corelli's Mandolin" by Louis de Bernieres.
Though it is a strikingly beautiful and ambitious film, a horrendously miscast Nicholas Cage almost single-handedly ruins the film. Madden and the rest of the cast and crew get points for effort, but "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" falls a bit short of being the sweeping and epic romance it sets out to be.
Set on a picturesque Greek island during WWII, the movie begins by introducing the viewer to the inhabitants of a small town. Specifically, Dr. Iannis (John Hurt), his gorgeous daughter Pelagia (Penelope Cruz) and Pelagia's possible husband Mandras (Christian Bale).
The tranquility of the island is disrupted when the Italian army comes and takes over. An officer, Captain Antonio Corelli (Cage), ends up staying at the house of Dr. Iannis and Pelagia. They aren't happy, and relations are understandably hostile, but they have little choice and Corelli proves to be a man that is hard to dislike.
Calling himself a pacifist, Corelli loves the finer things in life, such as food, wine and music. He is an expert mandolin player and uses this to help gain the acceptance and even admiration of Dr. Iannis. Pelagia is a harder sell.
This being a love story, it's only a matter of time until Corelli and Pelagia fall madly in love and into each other's arms. However, Mandras and the war ensure that happily ever after will be difficult to attain.
Eventually, the Greek men on the island band together and do battle with the Italian army that has invaded their homeland. The life of all the islanders is in danger, not just the men fighting each other.
There is much to recommend in "Captain Corelli's Mandolin." The cinematography by Oscar winning John Toll ("Braveheart," "The Thin Red Line") is luscious and makes ample use of the Greek island and surrounding areas. There is also an abundance of beautiful music. The mandolin in particular is easy on the ears.
There are also powerful war sequences in the second half of the movie. They are well directed and successfully display how brutally violent war is. Not knowing which characters could fall victim to the violence builds tension.
On the negative side, the acting is hit and miss and the love story too familiar and predictable. Cage gives it his all but his Italian accent is laughably bad. His performance is forced and it weakens the entire movie. Cruz and Bale fare much better, and Hurt is exceptional, making everyone else look like an amateur in comparison.
The movie is long and becomes slow at times, and the love story never really packs an emotional punch thanks to its familiarity and Cage's poor acting.
But as far as summer fare goes, "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" is ideal for adults looking to escape comedies and action films aimed at teens and younger viewers, as long as you can tolerate Cage's accent.
Grade: B-
"Captain Corelli's Mandolin" opened everywhere Fri., Aug. 17. Click here for showtimes.
