| All of the reports on BWW note the absence of the magic. I'm of the mind that cleansing the tale of anything twee is a bonus. It was always an amalgam, historical pageant, fable, a bit of British seasonal pantomime, and a soapy triangle to shape the plot proper. Logan's film, among other things, exposes the jarring collision of those elements, the production trying to blend studio-generated snow scenes with sumptuous Spanish locations. It looks shot by two directors. And the magic -- those Village of the Damned Eyes for Merlin and the rest -- is indifferently executed. Removing all of that seems wise, and also makes room for Arthur's democracy struggles. It always felt peculiar, juxtaposed against disappearing wizards. In a way, this new take tests the material: will it work as pure, realistic storytelling? Albeit a musical theater concept of "realistic." I'm excited to see it now. |
