Rating: 
Summary: Serpent's Desire
Review: It seems that our fine Mr. McGregor has a terrible propensity for duplicity. One minute he's starring in big-budget Hollywood productions (Moulin Rouge/ Star Wars), the next he appears in little unknown art house films such as The Serpent's Kiss, which no one saw along with Nora and failed terribly at the box office.
As far as The Serpent's Kiss is concerned, I wish more people knew about this film. Not only is it well acted by a well assembled all-star cast (such notables as Greta Scacchi, Pete Postlethwaite, and Richard E. Grant), but is beautifully photographed and the plot is sure to thrill you - if you can sit still long enough to pay attention.
I almost gave up on this film solely due to the irritating nature of Ewan's poor Dutch accent, but as the film continued I was relieved to discover that the accent was supposed to be that way due to the nature of the character (believe me, I was very relieved - for a while there I thought Ewan was getting lazy and had stopped trying).
This film also manages to make gardening seem interesting - and erotic even, as the sexual tension between a few of the characters thickens very, very quickly.
The DVD sadly is disappointing as there are no behind-the-scenes special features which is what I half bought the thing for. So you are buying the CD for the movie alone.
This film is entertaining and beautiful, and Ewan is just gorgeous in it, but not his best work.
Rating: 
Summary: A Study of Nature-- and Human Nature
Review: It took this movie several years to find a distributor in the U.S., which is one of the reasons so few people have had the pleasure of seeing it. While it has been noted that the plot tends to be slow in unravelling, this can be entirely forgiven, as you become completely immersed in the world that this film creates. It deals with man's need to control nature and the craving of the spirit to be free.
Meener Chrome (Ewan McGregor) has been hired by a wealthy (and vain) land-owner named Smithers (Pete Postlewaite) and his wife Julianna (Greta Scacchi) to design a garden from the wilderness outside their inherited estate. As the family attempts to convert this field into a model of order, they are also trying to tame their daughter Thea (also called Anne), whose wild spirit is being crushed in this world of obedience and rigidity. It is only later that we learn that "Meener Chrome" is in the pay of Julianna's cousin, Fitzmaurice (Richard E. Grant). Almost mad with jealousy that Julianna has married another, Fiztmaurice intends to use Smither's vainity against him and financially ruin him through this elaborate garden and drive Julianna back into his arms.
While Chrome tries to bring order to the world around him, the world inside Smither's home begins to spin out of control. Julianna becomes captivated with Chrome, who in turn has completely fallen in love with Thea. Against the orders of her 'physicians' and her parents, Chrome attempts to bring some calm into Thea's life and offer her freedom from the world that is driving her to madness. Fitzmaurice, insensed that Chrome would pull out of the bargain rather than hurt Thea, and with Julianna's infatuation with him, descends deeper into his own insanity, which proves to be his destruction. Eventually, Chrome rescues Thea and find their own happiness, while Smithers and his wife must try to begin again, with nothing left but their garden.
This film is visually stunning, as we see this wild landscape transformed to a vision of late 17th century order and beauty, and later destroyed by a windstorm. The costumes and settings lend an almost surreal touch to this story that plays almost like a fairytale. To watch it once is not enough. McGregor's accent seems very half-hearted and sporadic, but in re-visiting the scenes, one can see 'Chrome's' true identity in his intentional misuse of his accents. The film is mainly a character driven, psychological story that is not for those looking for quick entertainment. Though the plot does tend to be a bit slow, the intense subtlety and power of the final scenes more than compensate. If you wish to lose yourself in a world of beauty and intruigue, The Serpent's Kiss might very well be a dream come true.
Rating:
Summary: A Study of Nature-- and Human Nature
Review: It took this movie several years to find a distributor in the U.S., which is one of the reasons so few people have had the pleasure of seeing it. While it has been noted that the plot tends to be slow in unravelling, this can be entirely forgiven, as you become completely immersed in the world that this film creates. It deals with man's need to control nature and the craving of the spirit to be free.
Meener Chrome (Ewan McGregor) has been hired by a wealthy (and vain) land-owner named Smithers (Pete Postlewaite) and his wife Julianna (Greta Scacchi) to design a garden from the wilderness outside their inherited estate. As the family attempts to convert this field into a model of order, they are also trying to tame their daughter Thea (also called Anne), whose wild spirit is being crushed in this world of obedience and rigidity. It is only later that we learn that "Meener Chrome" is in the pay of Julianna's cousin, Fitzmaurice (Richard E. Grant). Almost mad with jealousy that Julianna has married another, Fiztmaurice intends to use Smither's vainity against him and financially ruin him through this elaborate garden and drive Julianna back into his arms.
While Chrome tries to bring order to the world around him, the world inside Smither's home begins to spin out of control. Julianna becomes captivated with Chrome, who in turn has completely fallen in love with Thea. Against the orders of her 'physicians' and her parents, Chrome attempts to bring some calm into Thea's life and offer her freedom from the world that is driving her to madness. Fitzmaurice, insensed that Chrome would pull out of the bargain rather than hurt Thea, and with Julianna's infatuation with him, descends deeper into his own insanity, which proves to be his destruction. Eventually, Chrome rescues Thea and find their own happiness, while Smithers and his wife must try to begin again, with nothing left but their garden.
This film is visually stunning, as we see this wild landscape transformed to a vision of late 17th century order and beauty, and later destroyed by a windstorm. The costumes and settings lend an almost surreal touch to this story that plays almost like a fairytale. To watch it once is not enough. McGregor's accent seems very half-hearted and sporadic, but in re-visiting the scenes, one can see 'Chrome's' true identity in his intentional misuse of his accents. The film is mainly a character driven, psychological story that is not for those looking for quick entertainment. Though the plot does tend to be a bit slow, the intense subtlety and power of the final scenes more than compensate. If you wish to lose yourself in a world of beauty and intruigue, The Serpent's Kiss might very well be a dream come true.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Nature vs. man's control over nature, the individual vs. social propriety, plans vs. outcome... This movie was fantastic and I'm now interested in other works this director has been involved in. This movie was beautiful, meaningful and well executed. There are those who consider the pace of this movie a negative (slow, dragging, etc.) without realizing the beauty of this movie couldn't be executed any "faster" without ruining the essence. If you have slightly more patience than the average MTV-raised 15-25 yr. old you will be richly rewarded by watching this film. I thought Ewan McGregor's performance was average with hints of brilliance and all the other actors were very well suited for their roles. I give the film 4 stars objectively and 5 stars personally because it spoke so personally to me.
Rating:
Summary: underrated
Review: Serpents Kiss was a spectacular movie. I loved from the first minute it began. It has a great story line, and is horribly interesting in (sometimes) a weird way, yet very romantic and very happy. Not just a chick flick though. Ewan McGregor is fantastic in it. He does a very, very good job in his movies.
Rating:
Summary: Viewed as a snapshot in time: 4 stars; else: 2 stars
Review: This film is an interesting study of the forces of human nature, as well as human's desire and (vain) effort to force their will onto nature itself. It's plot, however, keeps pace with nature - most of the time developing at a glacial pace - with only brief moments of faster development. Similar to tree, without leaves after the winter, the movie starts out in a worn down environment, holding promises of an interesting future to come. Like twigs growing buds, the initial characters are setup and are slowly developing, reminiscent of growing leaves. A brief blossom displays a certain type of beauty, only to be eradicated by the forces of nature. Eventually echoes of autumn settle in, with some of the protagonists falling like autumn leaves. Yet, on the other hand, new shades and colors reveal themselves in and for the remaining protagonists during this time of re-evaluation of their values; ultimately leading to a much more harmonious existence.
Rating: 
Summary: Nature vs Man...I wish!
Review: This is a bad film. There are many fine actors in it, people who have made mediocre films quite memorable. But they cannot salvage this turkey. The plot is obvious, the sets cheap and flimsy, the language never convincing, and the dreadful, tedious, and completely uninteresting Carmen Chaplin makes a overwhelmingly telegraphed romance not only unbelievable but implausible. Nice costumes, but this is a lame film, never really addressing its "theme" and containing all sorts of mysterious and silly developments that are never utilized. Maybe it would have been good if they left all the missing stuff in, but for a boring movie it sure felt rushed. About the worst thing one could say about it....both way too long and not nearly long enough. Justifiably unknown.
Rating:
Summary: Just doesn't work for me.
Review: This movie just didn't hold my interest or offer anything spectacular. The sets I didn't like at all - everything looked artificial and felt too new for a period piece. I had a lot of hope for this film, as I am a big fan of most movies set during this time and of Ewan McGregor, but this just didn't work for me. Richard E. Grant's character was too unbelievable and overacted. Worth renting, maybe, but not owning. I'm selling my copy.
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