"The Legend of Omar Khayyam", for many such a title carries a heavy weight. As a movie, this is a pretty entertaining film, however, as it tries to be more acceptable to an international audience - it feels too Hollywood! Omar K. comes off looking like a simple man who just happened to write some poems along the way as he goes through a series of almost disconnected events in his life -- as another review already mentioned NOT a single verse of poetry was recited in the original Persian language, whats far worse is that the ones that Omar does say are really weak translations, nothing near the original Fitzgerald which do appear later... and the movie sadly shows too much wine and women to let the viewer ever imagine the depth of what is said.
Anyway I think Mashayekh has done a great job in the making of a beautiful looking and sounding movie and deserves acknowledgment -- however since he has tried to get a more international and diverse audience; many fans of Omar K. fan will probably come off a bit disappointed!
Anyway I think Mashayekh has done a great job in the making of a beautiful looking and sounding movie and deserves acknowledgment -- however since he has tried to get a more international and diverse audience; many fans of Omar K. fan will probably come off a bit disappointed!