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Plunkett & MacLeane review
:. Director: Jake Scott
:. Starring: Robert Carlyle, Liv Tyler
:. Running Time: 1:39
:. Year: 1999
:. Country: UK
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A small period piece film (18th Century England) without pretentiousness, Plunkett & MacLeane is inspired by the journey of two highway robbers reveals itself to be fairly boring and ineffective, even more paradoxical for an action movie.
Plunkett & MacLeane permits Jake Scott, son of Ridley and nephew of Tony, to make his first full length movie after some music videos. The familial influence is present here, with its trendy side, its taste for obscurity, and a certain richness in image. Unfortunately the attempt is far from being conclusive.
Even if such a movie does not need an elaborate plot, a minimum of surprises is necessary to make it at least entertaining, what doesn't happen here. The film is conventional and without surprises and to guess what will happen next does not take a big effort. We follow the pilgrimages of the two bandits without much interest, and boredom quickly takes over.
The scenes are rendered even more ineffective when the soundtrack is techno, truly rendering the cape and sword film indigestible. You see that Scott comes from the music video, making the film strangely resemble an Enigma video-clip.
While Robert Carlyle and Jonny Lee Miller are strongly sympathetic characters and Liv Tyler brings a dose of charm in a role that you will miss if you blink your eyes, a bitter taste remains as these actors have been underused to benefit the arty shots. There are some other interesting characters but they are also not on the screen often enough.
The stylized and trendy shots are the only assets to this film. One notes certain finds, like the hanging or the fireworks scenes. But because of the omnipresence of these trendy shots as well as the anachronisms, these trendy shots destroy the film.
Plunkett & MacLeane is a success if you consider it like a Jean-Paul Gaulthier show.
Fred Thom
 Movie Reviews: British Films
Reviews 2012 - present
Reviews 1998 - 2012
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