Henry V
He ruled a massive empire...and fought a mighty war! Kenneth Branagh, Paul Scofield, Derek Jacobi, Ian Holm, Emma Thompson and Judi Dench star in this heroic, action-packed epic based on the timeless play by William Shakespeare. "Magnificent, passionate and steeped in powerful emotion" (The Washington Post), Henry V is a "stunning" (Leonard Maltin) Oscar-nominated adventure that takes its place amongst the greatest war films of all time.
Having recently been crowned King of England, Henry (Branagh) commands a massive invasion to assert what he believes is his legal right to the throne of France. But a mighty army stands in his way...and the young monarch must rely on untested reserves of courage and cunning as he personally leads his outnumbered forces into a desperate battle for the honor and glory of the British Empire.
Member Reviews
Pass on this one - Isis59
I am a big fan of Kenneth Branaugh but this movie was so slow and hard to understand. Life reading Shakespeare in high school. It dragged and I did not finish this film which is very rare for me. If you are a Shakespeare fan then you might be able to endure this one and find some entertainment in it.Branagh makes Shakespeare come alive!! - MovieBug
If you are looking for a modern-English version of Shakespeare's classic, this isn't it.
The film is an honest telling of the original play, about one of the most important monarch's in English history. Viewers will add substantially to their enjoyment by a little pre-reading on Henry's accomplishments and history, as well as on the battle of Agincourt, which is portrayed fairly accurately by Shakespeare. Reading through the original play (or a Cole's notes version) will help too, since the dialog can lose you.
Having said that, the acting in this movie is superb. In my view, Branagh's Henry is even better than the highly-rated Lawrence Olivier version. His soliloquy on the eve of the Agincourt battle is heartfelt and moving. The cast is all-star (Emma Thompson, Brian Blessed, Ian Holm, Derek Jacobi, Robbie Coltrane). Look for a very young Christian Bale as Falstaff's boy-servant.
If you have trouble with the dialog, watch it more than once. If you have kids in school studying Henry V, get them to watch this, and all of a sudden it will make sense to them. If you enjoy this and appreciate Shakespeare, try Branagh's version of Hamlet too.Wonderful language, beautiful prose - Boris
Not a huge fan of Shakespeare (let's be honest, how many people really understand it all without having taken a Cole's note through one of the stories?), I was smitten.
Kenneth B., who again, I've never been a huge fan of, was simply stunning in this movie.
If you can be open minded and allow yourself to be moved but the emotion of his words and gestures, you will be swept away but the somewhat biased story of history.
Member Reviews
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Pass on this one - Isis59
I am a big fan of Kenneth Branaugh but this movie was so slow and hard to understand. Life reading Shakespeare in high school. It dragged and I did not finish this film which is very rare for me. If you are a Shakespeare fan then you might be able to endure ...Branagh makes Shakespeare come alive!! - MovieBug
If you are looking for a modern-English version of Shakespeare's classic, this isn't it.
The film is an honest telling of the original play, about one of the most important monarch's in English history. Viewers will add substantially to their enjoyment ...Wonderful language, beautiful prose - Boris
Not a huge fan of Shakespeare (let's be honest, how many people really understand it all without having taken a Cole's note through one of the stories?), I was smitten.
Kenneth B., who again, I've never been a huge fan of, was simply stunning in this ...