Leofwine_draca It's been a long time since Sean Bean donned Richard Sharpe's uniform to star in an ITV adaptation of the Bernard Cornwell novels, but SHARPE'S CHALLENGE seems to rectify that. This extra-long episode is based on Sharpe's early adventures in India, although they're set AFTER Waterloo here to explain Bean's aged appearance. The novels are only loosely adapted, it has to be said; bits and pieces are present, but as a whole this is a new adventure. It's a good one, too, which sees not only Bean and O'Malley returning (their tag-team as great as ever) but also the original Sharpe director, Tom Clegg. Shot on location in India with the biggest budget of any Sharpe adaptation, this is for the most part great stuff, let down by only a few slow spots, some hokey moments, and some overacting (the guy playing Bickerstaff, a stand-in for Hakeswill, is absolutely dire).Bean makes for a dashing, interesting hero and O'Malley is the perfect comic foil. Toby Stephens, whom many know as the baddie of DIE ANOTHER DAY, is a charismatic baddie; Dodd was, I thought, one of Cornwell's best villains and he does the role justice. I also enjoyed the amount of genuine Indian talent in this production: Lakshmi is good as a scheming villainess, but it's Aly Khan who steals his scenes as a brave and just fighter. Astonishingly, Michael Cochrane returns in the role of Henry Simmerson, ten years since he last played the character. Lucy Brown makes for a very attractive love interest too. The action is well-staged and the explosive climax doesn't disappoint for a change. I enjoyed the emphasis on the violence and there are definitely some moments not for the squeamish (the various tortures meted out by the Indian strongmen, for the most part). The acting is generally of a high standard and Clegg's direction is top notch, making fine use of fantastic, authentic locations. So I'd call SHARPE'S CHALLENGE the best Sharpe adaptation yet, and I look forward to the next.

SanteeFats Another of the Sharpe's series of movies. I really enjoy them as they pit the gutter in Sharpe against the British elitists that believe only their kind are fit to rule and command. It is what made the British Empire so wrong and so powerful though. In this one Sharpe is called back into service by Wellington because Harper is captured by the Raj forces, or so they think. Wellington is using this info to get Sharpe to do his will. He of course finds Harper and they team up to enter the Raj's fortress as British deserters, save the captured general's daughter with the help of some French expatriates, kill the renegade East India officer who is the real impetus behind the military prowess of the Raj and a traitor sergeant. As usual everything turns out well in general with the standard casualties but Sharpe and Harper come out alive if the worse for wear.

P_Cornelius So, I give Sharpe's Challenge a 7 out of 10, primarily because I liked the 14 earlier Sharpe movies so much. 'Challenge', however, is a bit disappointing. And it is so because the makers decided to go for an epic sweep in presenting their story. For me, what made the earlier Sharpe movies so wonderful was that epic story lines were taken and woven into an intimate scale.'Challenge', on the other hand, fell in love with its own imagery and widescreen panoramas. But, what worked for Lawrence of Arabia (remember Omar Sharif's Ali emerging as pinpoint on the horizon, until he finally rides up to Peter O'Toole's foregrounded Lawrence at the waterhole? Magnificent!) doesn't for Sharpe. Other than the wide shots of the fortress and the line of troops marching across the countryside, there is no need for the camera to linger in 'Challenge'. Alas, it continues to do so, however, and Sharpe and Harper become diminished and at times even lost in the process.Finally, a word about what else is missing. (Possible spoiler) Namely, the rest of Sharpe's riflemen. Inevitable, of course, after the way things played out in Sharpe's Waterloo. But still it's hard to forget all those memorable characters from the earlier movies, such as Hagman, Harris, and Frederickson, whose story lines were often as or more interesting than even Sharpe's.Oh, well. Maybe Sean Bean and Daragh O'Malley will be up for yet another installment of Sharpe's adventures. Already, they've contributed to one of the greatest adventure series of its type. And a special debt of thanks is due to Sean Bean for not outgrowing his britches, after a little Hollywood success, and coming back into the role of Sharpe with such energy and commitment.

LCShackley What could be better than spending another 2+ hours in the company of two of TV's greatest heroes, Sharpe & Harper? Sean Bean and Daragh O'Malley look a little the worse for wear, but their chemistry is still working and there is plenty of swashbuckling afoot in this Indian adventure. The scenery is magnificent (I'm SO glad they didn't try to film it, let's say, in the UKRAINE!) and the cast is first rate. This new SHARPE has all the ingredients that made its predecessors so enjoyable to watch. And since they've obviously thrown more money at this one it looks better. (For instance, a lot more extras are used in battle scenes than we're used to seeing in earlier installments.) At the risk of being called a "purist" or an "obsessive" (words already bandied about in this forum), I have to say I'm disappointed that we're probably never going to get to see Cornwell's three Sharpe Indian novels presented as they were written. Of course, I realize there were many changes made in the earlier episodes, but here are a couple of reasons why: 1. The three Indian books give us a good look at the very young Sharpe and the formation of his character. But that would require another (younger) actor, which the producers realize would diminish their audience.2. We miss the wonderful situations involving the young(er) Hakeswill, played so marvelously by Pete Postlethwaite in earlier episodes. The Indian books let us revel in Sharpe's personal battle with this demented enemy. The producers had to come up with about four villains in SHARPE'S CHALLENGE to make up for him.Bernard Cornwell, realizing he was sitting on a gold mine, has milked Sharpe's adventures, adding battles before, after, and in between those of the original set of books. And long may he milk! However, this means that we will miss authentic dramatizations of these later additions to the Sharpe canon (cannon, geddit?).