Tristan & Isolde (2006)

Director: Kevin Reynolds

Writer: Dean Georgaris

Cast: James Franco, Sophia Myles, Rufus Sewell, David O'Hara, Mark Strong, Henry Cavill, Dexter Fletcher

Synopsis: Luscious cinematography and even more luscious stars make Tristan & Isolde a feast for the eyes. Adapted from the medieval love story, the movie begins with with young Tristan (played as a child by Thomas Sangster) as he sees his parents killed by the tyrannical Irish, who ruled over a fractured Britain after the Roman occupation. Taken in by Marke (Rufus Sewell), who rules one of the British tribes, Tristan (James Franco) grows up to be a young prince and a mighty warrior--and when he's believed slain in battle, he's given a royal funeral, which sends him out to sea in a burning boat.

But the fire goes out and Tristan washes ashore on Ireland, where Isolde (Sophia Myles), the daughter of the Irish king, nurses him back to health. Being a lovely pair of young folk bursting with hormones, they fall madly in love... and set in motion a tragic tale that's lasted for centuries in many variations. Some reviewers have criticized Tristan & Isolde for deviating from the most common classical version, but the movie's storyline--though certainly altered to appeal to modern audiences--is fairly strong. Myles and especially Sewell turn in strong performances; Franco, however, though surprisingly persuasive as a warrior, never burns as a lover. --Bret Fetzer