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Rating:  - FLAWED, YET WORTH OWNING
Basil, (Leto) is a sequestered young Englishman, with modest knowledge of life when he meets Manion, (Slater) who opens the remarkable, seductive entryway of both living and passion to the easily influenced Basil.
Fast-paced in an enervated way, the opening is startling one dimensional enough to be painful. Mercifully, it gathers momentum and becomes if not intriguing, certainly, not characterless or tedious.
Slater, is suitable; Leto comes with a certain distance wholly appropriate for the part. Foriani (Julia) was capable enough for me to want to throttle her character...a very good sign I'd say.
Clearly, the tempo was off, nonetheless, as the plot unfolded (for those of us who haven't read the book)'Basil' becomes more low-key melodrama and middle-end gothic, in very pleasing and agreeable way, as the threads of the narrative are sorted out.
I was quite keen on 'Basil'.
Rating: - So-so Victorian Costume Drama Based on Wilkie Collins
Based on Wilkie Collins' 1852 novel, "Basil" stars Jared Leto as the hero of the title. Basil, son of rich and aristcratic father Derek Jacobi, falls in love with beautiful but mystrious girl Julia (Claire Forlani). The problem is, Basil knew that his stern father would never acknowledge the daughter of merchant as his future bride, so in spite of his better judgment and advice from his friend Manion (Christian Slater), he continues his relations a secret until terrible truth is found out.
As is with many Collins' novels, the story is melodramatic and full of surprises, but the film seems to be too full of them. Every five minute you see something happen, which is certainly enjoyable. However, as far as emotional power goes, "Basil" is far from convincing. When the film should be sensual, it fails to be so, leaping to the next scene without raising the tension that should have come from, say, the clandestine meetings between Basil and Julia. There is no thrilling descriptions of ever-changing love and distrust found in works like "Wings of the Dove." The same can be said about the frail father-son relation in Basil's family, which should have been more explored.
My material says the writer/director Radha Bharadwaj (known for Madeleine Stowe film "Closet Land") was very impressed with the original book when she was 12 years old. Born and raised in India, the director clearly is conscious of social class and gender, so the book's thriller part is reduced to certain degree, and instead the contrast between men and women, or traditional aristocracy and new middle-class is stressed.
Her decision is understandable, but I don't know if it was a good idea to adapt the novel that way. And you should know that "Basil" is usually considered as one of Wilkie's juvenile works (only his second novel published during his lifetime) His major works are still "The Moonstone" or "The Woman in White" both of which are filmed in 1990s for British TV. So why "Basil"? That part remains vague after watching the film.
The best thing in the film is no doubt Claire Forlani. But her fans should be told beforehand that though Ms. Forlani in blue costume (standing besides beautiful birds) is gorgeous and exquisite, her charms do not materialize to the full because of too fast speed of story. Chrstian Slater (who also co-produced) and Jared Leto are not so bad, handsome as ever, but it is painfully obvious that they are Americans.
One final word for Collins fans. Don't get angry. The film takes GREAT liberty when it shows Clara not as Basil's sister; when Margaret Sherwin is changed to Julia Sherwin (does this mean that 'Margaret' is no longer a popular name?); and when Manion walks outside without a hat on his head even though you know that no confidential clerk of respectable merchant does that.
As Victorian constume drama "Basil" is just a so-so film. You don't have to hurry to watch it.
Basil's elder brother Ralph is played by Crispin Bonham Carter, cousin of Helena.
Rating:  - BASIL
I LOVED THIS MOVIE. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT IF YOU ARE A FAN OF LETO AND SLATTER. THE ACTING BY BOTH WERE SURBERB. I FELL DEEPLY IN LOVE WITH LETO AND HIS CHARACTER. THE INNOCENCE WAS SO ADDICTING, I FIND MYSELF LOOKING FOR MORE ROLES LIKE THIS HE MAY PLAY. THE PERIOD AND COSTUMES WERE PERFECT. I DID NOT FIND ANY SLOW PARTS, ALWAYS SOMETHING HAPPENING. GREAT MOVIE YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF WATCHING IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, " I DID"."THUMB'S UP".
Rating:  - I Beg to Differ
I thought BASIL was an intriguing film - a classical tale of revenge gone wrong. I couldn't figure out why it was rated R though, since there are no sex scenes, and less violence than what is found in most contemporary films.
I didn't find it dull at all, so I guess I will be one of the few people who thoroughly enjoyed this film. Christian Slater did a fine job - as usual, and I found the ending to be sweet.
Had the lead character found someone to love, I would have given the movie 5 stars.
Rating: - Based on Wilkie Collins Book
Anyone who likes Wilkie Collins (author of "The Moonstone" and "The Woman in White" and a friend to Dickens) knows that he is in store for a Victorian melodrama mystery with all the trimmings. This film definitely had the trimmings -- lush sets and gorgeous scenery, plus two notable acting performances from Christian Slater and Derek Jacobi. However, the writer-director falls down in several areas. First of all the script has a number of 20th Century anachronisms/cliches, i.e., "It makes me feel cheap." The leading man, Jared Leto, is attractive but emotionally lackluster, almost in a trancelike state -- a real problem since he appears in most scenes. Nor is there much chemistry between him and anyone else. Claire Forlani as his love interest is pretty emotionally dead herself, and I strongly suspect the fault is not altogether hers, but the writer-director's. The editing could be sharper, the pacing tighter -- in short, with a few cast changes, a different director, and a few rewrites, this movie might have delivered more of its many promises.
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