There is nothing that I love more than a romance, that is made to look more masculine, with lots of people getting stabbed with giant swords. What woman will question your sensitivity when you are willing to sit through what they see as a big romance, and what guy will take away your man-card for watching a slaughterfest? None! It's the best of both worlds!

Tristan and Isolde is an excellent movie that I had the opportunity to watch earlier this year (2006). The woman that I was seeing at the time, was trying to push the limits of what I could and couldn't handle. She knew that I loved romance, and romantic comedies, but it seemed after a weekend of The Notebook, a Walk to Remember, and a variety of other movies, she was truly tying to break me, and see if I had a threshold that I just couldn't pass. Little did she know, Tristan and Isolde isn't just a romance, is wildly adventurous war movie, that any beer chugging man would love.

The Cast

James Franco .... Tristan

Sophia Myles .... Isolde

Rufus Sewell .... Marke
David O'Hara .... Donnchadh (as David Patrick O'Hara)

Mark Strong .... Wictred

Henry Cavill .... Melot
Bronagh Gallagher .... Bragnae

Ronan Vibert .... Bodkin

Lucy Russell .... Edyth

JB Blanc .... Leon
Graham Mullins .... Morholt

Leo Gregory .... Simon

Dexter Fletcher .... Orick
Richard Dillane .... Aragon
Hans Martin Stier .... Kurseval (as Hans Martin-Stier)

The Plot
In order to keep from ruining the movie, I will give only minimal information about the movie in order to preserve it's integrity, as I always do. If you are looking for a more in depth review that covers every aspect of the movie, so that you can live vicariously through the reviewer, this is not your review... so move along little donkey... but if you want just enough to make an informed decision... please carry on...

Essentially the movie takes place in war torn Ireland. The British have come in and slaughtered countless Irish, including Tristan's parents. Tristan is played by James Franco. Tristan is essentially adopted by a good friend of the family, who has a son himself. The two children grow together, play together, and train together, but Tristan always stood out from the other children his age. No one could use a sword or fight better than he could, and it was becoming quite apparent how important he would be in the fight against the British.

During a battle, Tristan is injured by a sword that is coated in a poison. The entire village assumes that he is dead and sends him off on a ceremony in which they launch out a boat and shoot it on fire. The boat makes it all the way to England before it lands on the shore and is discovered by Isolde, played by Sophia Myles. Isolde quickly realizes that Tristan had just been poisoned and would be completely fine, so she nurses him back to health discretely.

The movie becomes tricky as Tristan has become a well known fighter amongst the Irish, and Isolde is set to marry the second in command in the British army, a man with whom she does not love. During a moment of passion while caring for Tristan, Isolde finds herself in his grips, and they share a passionate moment, and from that point on, they are hooked. Eventually the time comes when he is back to health and she had to send him back. People are starting to get suspicious of her, so she has to make a move, before he is discovered and killed.

In the movie, the love story is the prominent part of the movie, however, throughout there is war, that is brought on between the two countries. Neither Tristan nor Isolde realize that they are two different sides of the war, and that their lives are about to be brought together, when Tristan is forced to take arms against Isolde's soon to be husband.

I am going to cut off the plot development right here, because if I reveal more of the movie, then I will give it away. This is definitely a movie worth seeing, so I wouldn't want to ruin it for anyone interested.

The acting
The acting is extremely believable, backed up by excellent costumes and sets. You feel as if you are part of the movie, and that everything that is happening on screen truly is reality. The movie allows you a chance to escape to this powerful passionately charged romance. You really get a feel for the characters through the scripting, and you really begin to understand the relationships revolving around the two main characters, Tristan and Isolde.

While the characters are somewhat complex in nature, the acting truly brings it all together. Rather trying to bite off more characters, than can be truly explained, the movie does a great job of controlling who the developing characters will be, and lets them take over the scenes through excellent scripting, powerful language, and passionate acting.

Final Thoughts
Overall the movie, is an excellent experience. The great acting, truly adds to the realistic sets and costumes. You feel as if you are watching the events as they would have really unfolded. The realism involved in the movie is great, the pacing is perfect, and the story is laid out in front of you in such a way that any could follow it regardless of where they pick up in the movie.

The relationships involved in the movie between the variety of characters are extremely powerful and well developed. There aren't any characters that I felt weren't utilized to their full extent, and with the excellent performances by the actors, they capitalized on every ounce of visibility they had throughout the movie.

The war scenes are well planned out and scripted and area delight to watch. Even if the romance wasn't part of the movie, the war scenes are enough to really bring it all together and keep the movie interesting. The special effects weren't spared in the movie for the sake of giving the romance priority.

Recommended: Yes

Movie Mood: Date Movie
Film Completeness: Looked complete to me.
Worst Part of this Film: Nothing