William Shakespeare's Viel Lärm um Nichts

If I was watching it without subtitles, it would probably drive me crazy. The old English is something incredibly insane. It’s as if it wasn’t English at all. To his credit, Kenneth Branagh really put great care into William Shakespeare’s story. While it was sometimes boring for me and it reminded me of Jane Austen’s stories, the finale was so souped-up that it brought me back to life. It was morally strong and when it comes to directing, it was absolutely perfect. The final scene should be mandatory in some paid therapy for good mood. I also really liked Keanu Reeves in this movie. He was kinda cute (for a bad guy) and his looks spoke for him more than what he actually said. (07.05.2014)

Kenneth Branagh is simply very good at reinterpreting Shakespeare's immortal classics for the screen, and Much Ado About Nothing is a fresh, witty and dynamic adaptation of the four-hundred-year-old stage comedy. The biggest attraction was, of course, the quarreling lovers, played by two excellent English actors, Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson. Their verbal shootouts were flawless and there was a real chemistry between them, perhaps due to the fact that they were married at the time. I also liked the sort of festive music and the supporting character of the security guard, who was nicely portrayed by Michael Keaton. In short, Shakespeare is rewarding material to film and has something to say to today's audience. (31.10.2011)