Outstanding, magical visual, story-telling. Compelling from start to finish. Ignore the pompous reviews about the contemporary story-line, dialogue, magic-realism and apparent historical simplification. It's nonsense. This is cinematic excellence and as powerful as the best Thomas Hardy adaptations or a series like the original Brideshead Revisited. The battle-scenes are as visceral and powerful as those in Saving Private Ryan or Downfall. The political landscape that precipitated the war is carefully set-out for those of us that had never previously come across this element of nineteenth century European history but never at the cost of engaging with the emotional depth of the piece. The characters are given time to develop and have real depth. Brilliantly directed. Immerse yourself.
Review of 1864
