Its difficult to convey how much of a disappointment the Constant Gardener was. On a scale of 1 to 10, it would be -25, for several reasons.
Firstly, as a thriller the ending was in the synopses - we knew the culprits and the deeds. This leaves the details providing the only dramatic tension, which were slowly and painfully dragged out of the characters in a way which left the audience gasping for events to complete themselves.
Secondly, the characterisation left the audience disinterested in the main parties. Fiennes' love for Weisz is drawn in so many clichés, and is so poorly sketched by the repetitive flashbacks, that we are left wondering why they were so interested in each other in the first place. The film then fails completely by centring the plot on this vapid excuse of a relationship. We see Fiennes cry over their first meeting, without knowing what exactly formed the basis of their relationship or why they had married. Its sad but I couldn't care less about his grief when I don't really understand why he is grieving or believe in the relationship.
Thirdly, the film itself was a dog. Each character spoke in a continuous monotone, in a language which I assume was the screen writers idea of how diplomats and aid workers speak to each other. With the exception of Bill Nighy, who should have been given more screen time, each actor or actress was reduced to barking their lines to a fridge buzz. Worse, the direction was scattergun and failed to take advantage of the potential for holding any kind of drama in the situation. To try and pick the pace up, a few car/horse chases are thrown in to make up for the previous hour and a bit's plodding. They are too late, i'm afraid.
Fourthly, it did a total disservice to a very deserving topic. This *should* have been a brilliant film. Instead it was a dull shell over some very worth while points about the irresponsibility of corporate power. I'd much rather seen a documentary about some real events than entertain this poor exercise in intellectual entertainment and chin stroking, cynically designed to satisfy the audiences' self-regard.
There is a good corporate thriller, and it is The Insider. In that film, no one dies, yet it is compelling and fascinating despite being about a fairly idiosyncratic topic. Four people die in The Constant Garderner, yet I was completely unmoved. 3/10, please try harder.
Firstly, as a thriller the ending was in the synopses - we knew the culprits and the deeds. This leaves the details providing the only dramatic tension, which were slowly and painfully dragged out of the characters in a way which left the audience gasping for events to complete themselves.
Secondly, the characterisation left the audience disinterested in the main parties. Fiennes' love for Weisz is drawn in so many clichés, and is so poorly sketched by the repetitive flashbacks, that we are left wondering why they were so interested in each other in the first place. The film then fails completely by centring the plot on this vapid excuse of a relationship. We see Fiennes cry over their first meeting, without knowing what exactly formed the basis of their relationship or why they had married. Its sad but I couldn't care less about his grief when I don't really understand why he is grieving or believe in the relationship.
Thirdly, the film itself was a dog. Each character spoke in a continuous monotone, in a language which I assume was the screen writers idea of how diplomats and aid workers speak to each other. With the exception of Bill Nighy, who should have been given more screen time, each actor or actress was reduced to barking their lines to a fridge buzz. Worse, the direction was scattergun and failed to take advantage of the potential for holding any kind of drama in the situation. To try and pick the pace up, a few car/horse chases are thrown in to make up for the previous hour and a bit's plodding. They are too late, i'm afraid.
Fourthly, it did a total disservice to a very deserving topic. This *should* have been a brilliant film. Instead it was a dull shell over some very worth while points about the irresponsibility of corporate power. I'd much rather seen a documentary about some real events than entertain this poor exercise in intellectual entertainment and chin stroking, cynically designed to satisfy the audiences' self-regard.
There is a good corporate thriller, and it is The Insider. In that film, no one dies, yet it is compelling and fascinating despite being about a fairly idiosyncratic topic. Four people die in The Constant Garderner, yet I was completely unmoved. 3/10, please try harder.