Plot: What’s it about?
Amber Leighton (Madonna) is a spoiled, pampered socialite, not to mention an arrogant and uptight socialite. She is married to Tony (Bruce Greenwood), who makes a fortune in pharmaceuticals and makes sure his wife has whatever she wants. Amber is used to not only getting her way in every aspect of life, but also belittling those not as fortunate as herself, through insults and whatever else she can manage. This extends to Guiseppe Esposito (Adriano Giannini), a man from the lower class who works as a deckhand on her private yacht. A careless pleasure cruise with some friends takes an unexpected turn however, as a brief sidetrip becomes an experience that changes their lives forever. On a short trek off the boat, Amber and Guiseppe find themselves out of gas and stranded. This enrages Amber to no end and since he doesn’t want to act out against an upper class member, Guiseppe takes it all in stride. When no rescue arrives and the pair end up marooned on an island however, the class system is thrown out the window. Now if she wants to survive, Amber will have to depend on Guiseppe and he uses that to his advantage, to turn the tables on her and give her a taste of her own medicine. But when things turn from tense to romantic, what will become of this shipwrecked couple?
A remake of Lina Wertmuller’s acclaimed epic romance, Guy Ritchie’s Swept Away is known as one of cinema’s all time worst mistakes. As we all know by now, Ritchie agreed to do the film at the insistence of his wife Madonna, who of course, would play the lead female role. This proved to be a bad choice on Ritchie’s part, because as production wore on, he started to lose faith in the picture and with good reason. After the shoot ended, Ritchie was unable to put together a satisfactory version of the movie and from then on, the folly of Swept Away was a matter of public record. When it was finally released, it made no real waves and even curious viewers chose to stay away in droves, leaving this one washed out production. Even in Ritchie’s homeland of England, where his previous films were smashes, Swept Away was met with disdain and went directly to video, not even so much as a theatrical release. So is this as bad as the buzz claims, or more to the point, is it even possible for a film to be as bad as the buzz claims? While Swept Away is not some monumental disaster, it is a very dull, poorly executed picture that even at under ninety minutes, seems to last for decades. As such, it doesn’t hold much camp appeal and by turn, I recommend this only as a rental to those who simply have to see this yawner for themselves.
After immense success as a pop star, Madonna decided music wasn’t enough and tried to break into motion pictures. Aside from a couple smaller, enjoyable roles, Madonna has failed in miserable form to become a movie star, with flop after flop on her resume. Even with her high profile and large fanbase, she was unable to strike it hot at the box office, though critics are usually just as cold toward her pictures. But as lambasted as some of her previous work had been, without question, her most reviled work has to be in this movie. I mean, at least she was comically bad in most of her other pictures, but in Swept Away, she simply comes off as boring and in the movies, that’s the kiss of death. As much as she lobbied to get this movie made, you would think she could put more into her performance, but that wasn’t the case. Other films with Madonna include Body of Evidence, The Next Best Thing, Evita, Shanghai Surprise, and Four Rooms. The cast also includes Jeanne Tripplehorn (Basic Instinct, Mickey Blue Eyes), Bruce Greenwood (Here on Earth, Exotica), and Adriano Giannini.
Video: How does it look?
Swept Away is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. As bad as the movie might be, this visual effort is nothing short of excellent. The print is almost pristine, with only some light grain in a few scenes to spoil the perfection. The gorgeous colors are warm and vibrant here, bathed in sunlight, while flesh tones seem natural also. I saw no troubles with contrast either, as black levels appear to be stark and accurate at all times. The only complaint I have is that night scenes lack refinement at times, but even they still look good overall. As such, I commend Columbia’s work here and am glad even bad movies are given such attention.
Audio: How does it sound?
Not only does this one look good, but thanks to the included Dolby Digital 5.1 option, Swept Away also sounds quite good. This isn’t the kind of mix that relies on power however, instead it creates atmosphere and environmental depth. All of which is important in any film, especially in one like this, where so many scenes take place outdoors. So expect a lot of subtle, but effective presence that immerses you within the film’s world, though of course, you might not want to be in there in this case. The dialogue sounds clear and never hard to understand, while the music is superbly presented as well. This disc also includes a French language track, as well as subtitles in English and French.
Supplements: What are the extras?
I was surprised to find an audio commentary here, but director Guy Ritchie and producer Matthew Vaughn lend their thoughts here. In an even bigger surprise, the two never seem to admit the film’s failures and instead focus on production stories. I would have loved a candid, no holds barred session, but this just a standard, often promotional production geared commentary session. A brief featurette is also here, which houses interview with Madonna and Ritchie, both in upbeat moods. The interviews aren’t too insightful, but they’re light and well worth a watch for those interested. This disc also includes a selection of deleted scenes, some talent files, and two of the film’s theatrical trailers.
