Customer Reviews

Sharpe's Collection Set 3: Sharpe's Revenge, Sharpe's Justice & Sharpe's Waterloo [VHS]

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The last three Sharpe movies (unless they take a young Sharpe to India or an old Sharpe to his final adventure in South America.) are a fitting close to the series. A lot of loose threads are cleaned up as our characters driven together by Napoleon are finally released into the world without him.

SHARPE'S REVENGE closes out General Calvet, and his trusted servent Gaston, General Ross, Captian Frederickson (one of the best supporting characters in the series) and of course Major Ducos who is the classic foe for Sharpe. It is a story well acted and visually satisfying. In terms of story it is the best of the three. The transformation of Sharpe's wife begins here and is superior to the book as it builds on the previous movie which was an origional story. Since she avoids tempation only by the aid of Harris (who's absence along with Hagman is painful)her failure becomes credible.

SHARPE'S JUSTICE gives us a peacetime Sharpe and Harper trying to adapt to a peacetime life. The loss of Harris is made up to some degree by the return of Caroline Langrishe as Lady Anne ( much more interesting than his French lady )and the addition of Philip Glenister as Truman. I have now seen Glenister in two period pieces of that time (the 2nd being as Hobbs in the latest Hornblower movies)and he seems born to it.

The plot is interesting and different as Sharpe finds himself in a situation and an enviorment that he is unable to cope with. It isn't done as well as it could be, but I think this is due to the script and plot more than the acting. The scenes concerning Sharpe's wife are totally contrived. They are the only reason this set fails to get five stars. As the picture come sans the war the action level is also down, but we expect this so it hurts very little. Worth a watch, just fast forward over Sharpe's wife (unless she is with Lady Anne) after the first viewing.

SHARPE'S WATERLOO is a spectacle and a tough one. It is the most fameous battle in European history and the battle scenes almost steal the entire show. In terms of character development it is grand. Jane finally becomes the full fledged villian of the piece and she and her lover are played to perfection. The Prince of Orange fails the villany test as his errors are mostly of stupidity until the very end.

Harper is actually more interesting than Sharpe in this one, and the return of the team of Harris & Hagman is great ("Prusians ahh"). It is the only one of the Sharpe movies where the battle drives the characters and not vice versa. This is due to Waterloo's place in British history. Waterloo is the star and all of the characters are caught in its pull driven toward Europe's and their own climax.

Quite a finish.

The whole series of Sharpe tapes is adapted from Bernard Cornwell's series of books, which I definitely recommend to people who like the tapes. I enjoy Sean Bean as the "diamond in the rough" hero. He's excellent in the role. There's a lot of excitement in the stories too. The only thing I fault are some of the production values, though I can understand them. There are never enough extras around as soldiers to make me think that this is a real war. I realize that this is to do budget constraints, but I have to keep reminding myself. Even Sharpe's own contingent, which should grow from platoon to company to regiment, doesn't seem to expand. Nor are the actors really scruffy enough--neat haircuts and clean shaven? In the middle of a war? Despite my nitpicking, however, I really do enjoy these historical stories of adventure.

Sean Bean is so believable you want to jump and the screen and kill the French at his side just for the glory! And some times his English enemies too!

Interesting story with very good actin

anyone looking for an end to the sharpe's series will have to wait, this looks more like a to-be-continued