Plot: What’s it about?
Meneer Chrome (Ewan McGregor) is a skilled architect/artist who now faces a most daunting task, to create a masterful garden from a patch of wild land. This garden was commissioned by Thomas Smithers (Pete Postlethwaite), a very wealthy man who wants this creation to stand as his legacy, so he is prepared to pay a lot of cash. The site of this soon to be garden is a secluded estate in the English countryside, very beautiful and very impressive indeed. But this will prove to be no simple task, as Chrome has more planned than a garden, thanks to instructions from an outside force, Fitzmaurice (Richard E. Grant). You see, Fitzmaurice used be romantically linked with Smithers’ wife, Juliana (Greta Sacchi) and if his plans see fruition, he will have her back once again. Through Chrome, he plans to use the garden scheme to leave Smithers bankrupt, which he feels will ensure Juliana leaving Smithers to return to him. But when Chrome begins to fall in love with Smithers’ daughter Thea (Carmen Chaplin), it seems as though no one knows just how this complex, dangerous plan will unfold, as passion takes over.
I never saw this one in theaters, but I was able to give this disc from MGM a spin, to see how it all shook out. I had high hopes for The Serpent’s Kiss, as the cast was excellent and I figured if nothing else, I could look forward to solid performances. Ewan McGregor led the pack, but some of the others include Richard E. Grant, Greta Scacchi, and Pete Postlethwaite, all more than able workers indeed. In the end, this was a good flick, but not quite as good as I had hoped, although still a worthwhile experience. The writing had some problems, which left the actors with sometimes weak material, but their performances still surfaced in more than fine form. The photography and production design are superb here however, so I recommend it on the strength of the cast and the visuals, but this is a flawed picture at heart. I like the movie more than enough to make a good recommendation, but MGM’s disc leaves me left in a hard place. I wish MGM could have put some kind of effort into this disc however, as the film deserves at least a decent overall treatment. As it stands however, this is a real missed chance and as such, I think a rental will more than suffice.
At the front of The Serpent’s Kiss is Ewan McGregor, who turns in a very solid effort, despite the often inferior material he has to work with here. Even with the flawed writing here, McGregor seems in fine form and really shines at times, although the lack of depth won’t allow him to go into high gear at times. I’ve always been a fan of McGregor’s work and I knew he would be solid here, but I think his performance is hampered at times by the flaws, but not too much. He is able to play off the other performers very well however, which helps add depth to his character and in this case, he needs all of the help there he can manage. Even in an instance where he is given little to work with, McGregor’s talents still shine through. Other films with McGregor include Rogue Trader, Velvet Goldmine, Trainspotting, Shallow Grave, The Phantom Menace, The Pillow Book, and Blue Juice. The rest of the cast here includes Pete Postlethwaite (The Usual Suspects, Jurassic Park: The Lost World), Donal McCann (Out of Africa, Rawhead Rex), Richard E. Grant (The Little Vampire, Spice World), Carmen Chaplin (After Sex, Sabrina), and Greta Scacchi (The Red Violin, Jefferson In Paris).
Video: How does it look?
The Serpent’s Kiss is presented in a 1.85:1 widescreen transfer, which is not enhanced for widescreen televisions. I have no clue as to why this wasn’t given an anamorphic transfer, but the lack of added resolution is evident at times. I saw a lot of edge enhancement and shimmering here, but not enough to ruin the experience, perhaps just lessen it more than a shade. The subdued color scheme is well presented, with no bleeds and flesh tones look natural as well. The contrast is a little on the light side, just enough to notice however and not enough to compromise detail level. This is a decent looking presentation, but I think it could have been much better, had MGM put some effort and resources into this disc.
Audio: How does it sound?
A basic, but very effective 2.0 surround track is included, which sparks more than expected, but not as much as a full 5.1 option perhaps. There isn’t a lot of chances for powerful audio, but when it is there, this track manages much better dynamics than most 2.0 surround options I’ve heard. The paint won’t crack off the walls, but the material is handled very well and in this case, that’s more than enough. The sound effects and music are well presented, in rich form and when things pick up, the surround channels kick into gear to add to the atmosphere. No issues with the dialogue either, which surfaces in clean and crisp status, with no volume errors to report. You can also enable English, Spanish, and French subtitles, should you have need for them.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc contains no bonus materials.
