Starring: Liam Neeson, Aidan Quinn, Julia Roberts, Ian Hart, Richard Ingram Directed By: Neil Jordan Average Rating: Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Letterboxed, Widescreen, NTSC Label: Warner Home Video Number of Items: 1 Picture Format: Letterbox Region Code: 1 Release Date: April 08, 1997 Running Time: 133 minutes Theatrical Release Date: October 11, 1996
Description: Neil Jordan returns to the strife-torn Irish political landscape for this real-life epic set in 1920 and starring Liam Neeson as the legendary Irish revolutionary leader and Julia Roberts as his headstrong fiancee.
Amazon.com essential video: Irish writer-director Neil Jordan followed up his surprise hit The Crying Game with this controversial biography of IRA leader Michael Collins (Liam Neeson), one of the most important political leaders of the 20th century. The film follows Collins as he matures from guerrilla leader to national hero and statesman. Jordan's take on Collins is that he was set up by Irish president Eamon De Valera (Alan Rickman), who was jealous of Collins's legendary popularity. De Valera puts Collins in the position of negotiating a peace treaty that would never satisfy the Irish hero's hard-core followers. When the IRA leader returns with a first-step compromise, De Valera undercuts Collins's popularity by refusing to support the revised treaty. And the civil war continues for decades. Michael Collins occasionally loses focus and momentum, but is the kind of exciting historical drama that deserves to be called "sweeping." It is also one of the most beautifully photographed films in years: cinematographer Chris Menges uses color and texture to set moods and accent emotions. The movie also stars Aidan Quinn, Julia Roberts, and Stephen Rea. --Jim Emerson
A great film - should be watched by everyone This film has a real power to it, and presents a major historical figure in a way that is easy to appreciate. The acting and directing is superb and the film is very engrossing, and in some places extremely sad. I'd strongly recommend this.
Historically inaccurate, mediocre-to-bad acting This movie, while somewhat interesting, was so historically inaccurate and lopsided it's laughable. Alan Rickman's performance as Eamonn de Valera deserves particular mention; there's simply no way such a weak-minded man could possibly have served as taoiseach or president of Ireland. There's inadvertent humor in Julia Roberts's attempt at an Irish accent (and where are the strong Irish women so prominent in history?). If you want to watch a movie about the Irish struggle for independence, watch "The Treaty" -- it is more interesting and more historically accurate, and it has better acting.
Love the film, despise the DVD release. This review is not concerned with the film itself - but rather its presentation on DVD. First of all, the disc is packaged in the much maligned Warner Bros. cardboard snapcase - which is easily damaged and impossible to replace short of simply buying another copy of the title.
Secondly, it is a double-sided disc and the film is broken up into two parts. As it always is with films released on DVD in this manner (GETTYSBURG, SCHINDLER'S LIST) the break is quite sudden and disruptive to the movie-watching experience.
Granted, the copyright on the sleeve is 1997, so this was perhaps before the industry had created dual-layer discs - but it's a shame this title has not been re-released with these issues addressed. There are a multitude of films much longer than MICHAEL COLLINS that have fit onto one single-sided disc (LAWRENCE OF ARABIA and SEVEN SAMURAI spring to mind).
Still, it's a budget priced title and - most significantly - the only manner in which to enjoy the film on DVD as the time of this writing.
For the record, the fifty minute documentary that is included on the DVD is rather interesting and much appreciated.
Liam Neeson Shines as Collins This is a well produced and well written film that tells the story of Michael Collins and the Irish Rebellion and subsequent civil war with great historical accuracy and drama. Liam Neeson is unforgettable in a role he is absolutely perfectly cast in as Michael Collins. Most of the rest of the cast does very well with the exception of Julia Roberts who seems out of her league here but mercifully doesn't hinder the enjoyment of the film all that much. The tensions that erupt between Collins and Eamon De Valera (Alan Rickman)form the heart of the film. It is a chapter in Irish history that lends itself well to dramatic treatment and the film lives up to it's raw material.Nice work from director Neil Jordan.
Pleasantly pleased This film came in perfect condition and in a very timely manner. I got it the very next day. I couldn't have been happier. I needed this movie for a class project.
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