huggibear Are you a Shakespeare fan? That's what this is! A play turned into a movie, which is pretty good. It's interesting to see Denzel Washington in something of this caliber because it is so outside-the-box for him, considering the roles he normally plays. He did quite well, I might add. He was charming! But he's a great actor, so I'm not too surprised. All the characters in this movie have Shakespeare-like plays' incredible mannerisms. It seemed like a play, but in a Hollywood-like fashioned film. A movie well versed with great Shakespearean culture. If you like Shakespeare, you'll enjoy this! If not, watch it anyway to form your own opinion.

Grace Ruddick I think this is a good interpretation of the Shakespeare play, and it makes the story line easy to follow because you can understand what the characters mean by how the actors say it. I'd recommend it as good to watch if you're trying to read the play but don't know what the Elizabethan English means. Good. Personally, I find it rather boring, but if you like Shakespeare and romance things like this, then you will like this, I'm sure.

quasardrake A very entertaining version of the play. Marvelous performances all around. Reminds you of just WHY Denzel Washington deserves both the love of audiences and fans, and an Academy Award. Kenneth Branagh is an actor one either likes or dislikes, and I happen to like him. He is well matched here with Emma Thompson. Both are excellent in the principle roles of Benedick(the Bard's spelling) and Beatrice. The supporting cast is outstanding. I particularly like the marvelous Brian Blessed as Hero's uncle Antonio. Keanu Reeves is surprisingly good as the villainous Don Jon; it is possibly one of his very best screen performances. Robert Sean Leonard is good but not quite up to the others as Claudio, and Kate Beckinsale is somewhat better as the slandered maiden named Hero. Michael Keaton is hilarious as the constable whose language is so filled with circumlocutions that no one can understand him.This Branagh Shakespearean production is considerably more edited for length than "Hamlet" or "Henry V", with a run time of just under two hours, which is just about right for most movie audiences. The trimming is judiciously done and the play hangs together very well, with the main plot points largely intact. His direction is crisp and the staging is very good. The language is not too difficult to follow, despite the fact that it was not modernized. I found this film vastly entertaining and particularly enjoyed Denzel Washington in it. Locations are beautiful and costumes attractive. I found almost nothing to complain about by the end, despite doubting whether Keanu Reeves would hold up in his role. He is fine. Overall this is a wonderful film, a good introduction to the Bard for younger audiences(though they may wish to review the plot beforehand), and a most pleasant choice for someone looking for a romantic comedy for a date night. I found it just delightful.

elbulgarian Shakespeare, as it should be interpreted for the big screen. I must admit, this one is my personal favorite. And being a Kenneth Branagh fan, I think this is a real masterpiece. His performance is also remarkable. One could easily assume he was in love during the filming of the movie...:) Some people complain about the "wooden" Keanu, I think he was perfect for this role, as his character suppose to be grim and yes, wooden too - in perfect contrast to the rest. Every single bit of this movie feels right and in place. All the actors just... fit. The easiest and simplest test is to watch it several times. I did and I loved it. Thank you Kenneth Branagh, for the wonderful experience.