Revengers Tragedy
Time Out says
Transposing Thomas Middleton's 1607 play to a post-apocalyptic Liverpool circa 2011, Cox's film provides an anything-goes location for the original's tongue in cheek plotting, vividly sardonic language and gleeful summation of the blood and thunder machinations of the Jacobean stage. Against a suitably distressed post-industrial landscape decorated with swirling clubgear costumery, the revolt of the underclass proceeds apace as the snarling Vindici (Eccleston) manoeuvres against the all-ruling Duke (Jacobi), responsible for poisoning his bride on their wedding day. The stylistic intention, presumably, was old meets new with a Luhrmann-like flourish, but the modest resources on display result in a look somewhere between threadbare Jarman and school play. One struggles to be impressed. Regrettably, the rhubarbing supporting players hardly deserve to be in the same picture as Eccleston's energised, razor-sharp delivery and Izzard's rich portrayal of whimsically decadent son and heir Lussurioso.
Details
Release details
Duration:
109 mins
Cast and crew
Director:
Alex Cox
Screenwriter:
Frank Cottrell Boyce
Cast:
Christopher Eccleston
Eddie Izzard
Derek Jacobi
Jean Butler
Sophie Dahl
Anthony Booth
Diana Quick
Alex Cox
Margi Clarke
Eddie Izzard
Derek Jacobi
Jean Butler
Sophie Dahl
Anthony Booth
Diana Quick
Alex Cox
Margi Clarke