Rating: 
Summary: Stick with the books or the Jane Seymour version
Review: In France Percy did way too much shooting and not enough thinking. The Scarlet Pimpernel is supposed to be a master of diguise, yet we never saw him don one, instead we got 007 type hidden weapons and accompanying fight scenes. Now I like James Bond, but that's not Percy's style. That said, I really enjoyed the 2nd film, the hints of Chauvelin's past and the delima he ends up facing are simply marvelous... still something's wrong when the villian is the character who won most of my sympathies.
Rating: 
Summary: Lighten up!
Review: In one of the other reviews somebody wrote that if you like the Anthony Andrews "Pimpernel" you'll hate this version. WRONG!!!! I loved the Anthony Andrews version, and I really, thoroughly enjoy this version! Can these critical people say "entertainment"? This is just entertainment, not grand art. I love both versions, and I am very grateful that somebody decided to make this one. As for Richard Grant not being leading man material, rubbish! He does a great job. And if he doesn't generate any heat for you, well, perhaps you're the ones with the problem!
Rating:
Summary: Sir Percy, I hardly know you
Review: Initially, I couldn't be more thrilled when I heard that there were three new Pimpernel movies out there. I had worn my Anthony Andrews tape almost completely out, all the while hoping that someday, somewhere, someone would get the idea to bring the Pimpernel back. Well, they did. And this is the result. The casting, for the most part, is questionable. Sir Percy is supposed to be dashing and handsome, witty and absolutely hilarious. Richard E. Grant isn't any of these. He's a good actor when he's cast right. Here, he simply isn't. To be fair, he does have a few good moments, but they would have played so much better had it been someone else in the role. Elizabeth McGovern, as Marguerite, is fair. She's pretty, but a few years too old. She has, at least, some of the charm that the role requires. Perhaps the best casting comes in the form of the two villains. Martin Shaw as Chauvelin and Ronan Vibert as Robespierre are excellent. They convey total believeability in their roles. An added diminishment to the overall production is the choices the screenwriters made in adapting the stories. There's adventure and intrigue in places, but sometimes (as in Book Two, "Mademoiselle Guillotine") the story drags. The attention paid to reconstructing the period must be commended. In this version, far more than any other version (yes, even the 1982 one, alas) the viewer gets a real sense of what it was like to live back then. There's the decadence of the English aristocracy and then there's the dirty, dangerous life in revolutionary France. Overall, this mini-series should have been much, much better.
Rating: 
Summary: A bore to watch
Review: Its not only insulting that this adaptation is nothing like the original stories, but it also is a pain to watch. Richard E. Grant just kind of goes from one line to another, and the script is timidly paced. I was forced to read the Pimpernel for highschool English but found that I loved the story. If I was ever forced to watch this version I would hurt some one.
Rating: 
Summary: Scarlet Pimpernel
Review: My family and I enjoyed this series immensely. Richard E Grant is perfect and we also enjoyed Elizabeth McGovern as Marguerite and the actor who played Chauvelin was great.
We hope that the next series will be available soon. Good fun, a little history and just good story telling and good action
Rating:
Summary: Best rendition of this Historical fictional character yet.
Review: My wife and I were thoroughly enthralled by this series, as the acting, direction, cinematography captures the historical period beautifully. THe plots will engage the mind as well as the heart.
Rating:
Summary: The Scarlet Pimpernel Strikes
Review: Occasionally, I find a DVD set that I cannot finish, and the Scarlet Pimpernel was it. I love the story, adore the book, and liked the old black and white version. I would like to say first, the costumes are terrific, the cinematography is good, but the actors are stuck with questionable lines. That is not to say that the dandies are not dandy and the ladies are not of questionable morrals. I would like nothing more than to recommend this DVD set to friends and strangers alike, but even my Anglophyle friends have not been able to get past the first DVD in this boxset.
Rating: 
Summary: See the Anthony Andrews version!
Review: Okay, keep an open mind if you will, and watch this version, but if you want to see a film of the Scarlet Pimpernel that does it justice, SEE THE ANTHONY ANDREWS VERSION! He is utterly perfect as Sir Percy, and nobody beats Ian McKellan's Chauvelin. I have not been able to see him in anything else without thinking of this film. This latest version was alright, but nothing beats the dashing romantic adventurism of the Anthony Andrews version. He is by far the best Percy Blakeney.
Rating:
Summary: Buy the 1930's version instead
Review: Our entire family read the book and then decided to watch
the video. I ordered both the 1930s version and this version
by A&E. I thought this version might be better due to it's
length and recent making. I was sadly mistaken. The 1930's video, though dated, had superb acting and
followed the story-line of the book almost entirely. I didn't even recognize the plot in this version, it differed
so much from the book...including characters. Then when they
had a sex scene in the first 15 minutes, I decided that this
video was fit for the trash (where it went). The little
I watched did not follow the plot and it was not suitable for
family viewing.
Rating:
Summary: 3.5 stars a grand attempt but lacking.
Review: Richard E. Grant is a marvelous actor and I have no fault with him or most of the cast for these made for TV films.
My major complaint with these films is that they are ALL lacking the most important element of the Scarlet Pimpernel's career. His ability to do a disguise better than anyone alive! As the first true super hero ever writtten it is an esential part of his character! And NOT ONCE do they use this key ability of his! Well they do have him wear a cape and have nifty devices sewn into his clothes but IMHO you just cannot leave out his diguise abilities!
My other complaint is the casting of Elizabeth McGovern as Margaritte..she was very dull and not at all the exciting or intelligent person she is supposed to be. Look at Jane Seymour in the 1982 version for the best Margaritte as well as some excellent disguises done by Anthony Andrews as the excellent SP himself.
I enjoy this new version well enough, mostly becasue REG and the actor who plays Chauvelin are both sooooo good. But as a whole the 1982 version and the recent Broadway Musical capture the most important aspects of TSP and are worth seeing if you have the chance! I believe the musical is no longer running but the soundtracks (2 of them)are worth getting they tell the story quite well and are delightful!
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